THE  LIFE  OF 

WILLIAM  HENRY 

OF    LANCASTER,  PENNSYLVANIA 

1729-1786 

PATRIOT,   MILITARY   OFFICER, 
INVENTOR  OF  THE  STEAMBOAT 


A  CONTRIBUTION  TO  REVOLUTIONARY  HISTORY 
BY 

FRANCIS  JORDAN,  JR. 

A  Member  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society 


PRESS  OF 

THE  NEW  ERA  PRINTING  COMPANY 

LANCASTER,  PA. 

1910 


<  Copyright^  15910':  *    * 


PREFACE. 

HEN  it  was  first  suggested  that  I 
should  write  the  Life  of  William 
Henry,  of  Lancaster,  Pennsyl 
vania,  by  those  of  his  descendants 
who  desired  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of 
his  career  than  could  be  learned  from  fugi 
tive  accounts  unsupported  by  documentary 
evidence,  I  thought  to  confine  the  work 
within  the  limits  of  a  brief  summary  of  his 
eventful  early  life  and  his  activities  during 
the  Revolution. 

After  a  careful  examination  of  the  material 
placed  at  my  disposal,  much  of  it  new  and  all 
of  it  of  more  than  ordinary  historical  and 
scientific  interest,  to  the  student  of  American 
history  as  well  as  to  his  posterity,  I  felt  that 
to  restrict  its  scope  to  the  contemplated 
brochure  would  have  been  a  distinct  loss  to 
both.  It  seemed  to  me  that  a  full  account  of 
his  unique  personality  and  notable  career,  sav 
oring  almost  of  medieval  romance;  his  inven 
tive  genius,  his  correspondence  with  statesmen, 
and  military  officers  of  high  rank  who  figured 
iii 


M85831 


iv          The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

prominently  in  the  struggle  for  independence, 
and  finally  his  own  eminent  services  to  the 
State  and  Confederation,  warranted  not  only 
a  deserved  tribute  to  his  unostentatious  pa 
triotism,  too  long  deferred,  but  an  appeal  to 
a  larger  audience. 

If  the  book  in  its  necessarily  modest  pro 
portions  fails  to  reveal  the  social  and  domes 
tic  side  of  his  life,  or  his  impressions  of  men 
of  action  of  that  day,  it  must  be  explained 
that  he  left  no  diary;  and  if  in  any  of  its  parts 
it  appears  lacking  in  continuity,  it  must  be 
charged  to  the  absence  of  papers  that,  through 
ignorance  of  their  importance  to  the  historian, 
have  been  mislaid,  perchance  destroyed,  and 
no  longer  available.  In  its  preparation  I 
desire  to  express  my  indebtedness  to  Granville 
Henry,  Esq.,  of  Boulton,  Pa.,  Dr.  John  W. 
Jordan,  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  Dr.  Frank  R.  Diffenderffer,  of 
Lancaster,  without  whose  generous  aid  in  sup 
plying  valuable  data  the  book  would  have 
been  incomplete  indeed. 

FRANCIS  JORDAN,  JR. 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Ancestry  and  Early  Life I 

CHAPTER  II. 

Rescues  Gelelemend,  a  Delaware  Chief,  on 
Braddock's  Field 7 

CHAPTER  III. 
Marriage  to  Ann  Wood 19 

CHAPTER  IV. 

William  Henry,  the  Benefactor  and  First 
Patron  of  Benjamin  West 26 

CHAPTER  V. 

Sails  for  England;  Captured  by  French  Priva 
teer  and  Landed  in  Spain ;  Reaches  England, 
Meets  Watts  and  Becomes  Interested  in  his 
Experiments 34 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Inventor  and  Man  of  Science.     Is  the  First  to 

Apply  Steam  to  Marine  Navigation 37 

v 


vi  Contents. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Enters  Public  Life  and  Espouses  American 
Cause 56 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

John  Joseph  Henry  Joins  Arnold's  Expedition 
Against  Canada;  is  Taken  Prisoner  and 
Confined  in  Quebec 60 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Civil  and  Military  Appointments;  Authorized 
to  Manufacture  Arms  for  the  Continental 
Army;  Entertains  John  Hart,  David  Kitten- 
house  and  Thomas  Paine  during  British 
Occupation  of  Philadelphia 71 

CHAPTER  X. 
Thomas  Paine 82 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Lancaster  in  1777 87 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Arms  for  the  Troops  the  Crying  Need  of  the 
Hour.  9i 


Contents.  vii 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Is  Made  Superintendent  of  Arms  and  Accou 
trements,  and  Assistant  Commissary  Gen 
eral 102 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Reed-Henry  Correspondence  on  the  Alarming 
Financial  Condition  of  the  Country 1 1 1 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Reed-Henry  Correspondence  Continued; 
the  Revolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  Troops.  ...  131 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Correspondence  with  Hon.  Joseph  Reed,  Hon. 
William  Moore,  General  Anthony  Wayne 
and  Judge  William  Atlee 136 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

From  Colonel  William  Henry  to  the  Honor 
able  Joseph  Reed,  President  of  Pennsylvania, 
Suggesting  a  Plan  to  Avert  Financial 
Disaster 146 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Is  Elected  to  the  Congress  of  1784,  '85  and  '86 
and  Dies  in  Office.  Summary  of  his  Career.  166 


WILLIAM  HENRY 

OF  LANCASTER,  PA^J  i*J^ 


CHAPTER  I. 
His  ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  LIFE. 

ILLIAM  HENRY,  the  subject  of 
this  brief  but  eventful  history,  was 
born  at  the  homestead  in  Chester 
County,  Pennsylvania,  on  May 
19,  1729,  and  although  the  exigencies  of  his 
youth  were  discouraging,  he  left  no  superficial 
impress  on  the  time  in  which  he  lived. 

Indeed  it  has  come  to  few  men  even  in  a 
more  enlarged  sphere,  within  so  short  a  span, 
to  have  had  conferred  upon  them  so  many 
honors  and  responsibilities,  both  civil  and  mil 
itary.  His  scientific  achievements,  the  devel 
opment  of  an  extraordinary  inventive  talent, 
deserve  to  rank  with  those  of  his  contempora 
ries,  Franklin  and  Rittenhouse,  as  *  To 
Henry  belongs  the  honor  of  conceiving  the 
idea  of  utilizing  steam  as  a  motive  power  for 


2  The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

marine  navigation,  and  of  building  the  first 
steamboat  ever  built  in  the  United  States."1 
We  shall,  learn  that  he  was  generous,  quick 
to  .recQgriize;  genius  and  sympathized  in  its 
.  He  was  undemonstrative  and 
'df-His  own  performances;  but  in 
reviewing  them  it  is  difficult  to  refrain  from 
extravagant  eulogium  of  one  endowed  with 
so  many  admirable  qualities  and  withal  so 
modest  and  unassuming. 

He  first  comes  into  prominence  as  Armorer 
of  the  State  forces  attached  to  Braddock's  ex 
pedition  against  Fort  Duquesne  in  1755;  but 
his  military  career  did  not  end  with  the  defeat 
of  Braddock,  as  in  the  following  year,  1756, 
he  filled  a  similar  commission  under  Forbes, 
and  upon  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  be 
tween  the  colonies  and  the  mother  country, 
he  espoused  the  cause  of  the  former  with  en 
thusiasm,  was  appointed  Assistant  Commis 
sary  General,  served  with  distinction  through 
the  war,  and  was  empowered  to  act  as  fiscal 
agent  of  the  State  and  Confederation  for 
Lancaster  and  the  adjoining  counties.  He 

x"  Robert  Fulton,"  by  Dr.  Robert  H.  Thurston,  late 
professor  of  engineering,  Cornell  University,  New  York, 
1891,  p.  34. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.  3 

was  elected  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Assembly,  sat  upon  the  bench  as  one  of  its 
judiciary,  served  nine  years  as  Treasurer  of 
Lancaster  County,  the  richest  and  most  popu 
lous  in  the  state ;  was  a  member  of  many  im 
portant  committees  created  in  the  interests  of 
the  Revolution,  and  rounded  out  his  useful, 
and — if  I  may  employ  the  word  in  describing 
so  strong  a  character — picturesque  career  as 
a  delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress. 

Henry's  grandparents,  Robert  and  Mary 
Ann  Henry,  who  were  of  Scotch  ancestry, 
sailed  for  America,  via  Coleraine,  Ireland, 
with  their  three  adult  sons  John,  Robert  and 
James  in  the  year  1722,  arriving  the  same 
year  at  New  Castle,  Delaware,  whence,  after 
a  brief  stop,  they  proceeded  to  their  planta 
tion  in  West  Cain  Township,  in  the  charming 
environment  of  Chester  County,  Province  of 
Pennsylvania.  Here  both  parents  died  on 
the  same  day  in  1735,  the  husband  in  the 
morning  and  the  wife  in  the  afternoon,  and 
were  buried  in  the  same  grave  at  Boyd's  Pres 
byterian  Meeting  House. 

Of  the  sons  James  married  Mary  Ann,  and 
Robert,  Sarah  Davis,  sisters,  who  with  their 
eight  children  removed  to  Virginia.  John, 


4  The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

the  oldest  son  and  the  father  of  William 
whose  life  we  are  recording,  married,  in  1728 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Mary 
(Jenkins)  DeVinne,  of  Huguenot  descent, 
who  in  1723  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Henry  plantation.  John  Henry  died  in 
1747,  leaving  to  the  care  of  his  widow,  two 
sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  William 
was  the  oldest  child.  The  daughters  mar 
ried  into  the  families  of  Postlethwait,  Bick- 
ham  and  Carson. 

It  was  the  cherished  hope  of  the  father  of 
William  Henry  that  his  children  should  enjoy 
as  thorough  a  scholastic  training  as  his  means 
and  the  best  local  institutions  provided,  but 
his  early  death  and  the  insufficiency  of  his  es 
tate  compelled  his  widow  to  send  William  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  to  Lancaster,  then  the  larg 
est  inland  town  in  the  Province,  where  he  was 
apprenticed  to  Matthew  Roesser,  a  gunsmith. 
Henry's  mechanical  aptitude  made  him  an 
ideal  apprentice,  as  in  1750  when  but  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  he  engaged  in  making  arms 
on  his  own  account,  forming  a  partnership 
with  Joseph  Simon,  of  whom  it  is  recorded, 
"  He  was  a  wealthy  Jew  of  high  character, 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.  5 

the  ancestor  of  three  prominent  Hebrew  fam 
ilies  of  Philadelphia."2 

Henry  was  progressive  and  believed  in 
advertising,  as  the  following  letter  to  William 
Bradford,  the  well-known  journalist  and 
printer,  shows : 

To  WILLIAM  BRADFORD 

Printer  in  Philadelphia, 

Be  pleased  to  insert  and  continue  in  the  Front  of 
your  Journal  the  inclosed  advertisement.  Inclosed 
is  five  shillings. 

Yours  with  respect, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
Lancaster  I7th  July,  1766. 

This  business  association  with  Simon  pros 
pered,  as  within  a  short  time  Henry  built  a 
commodious  dwelling  on  the  public  square,  the 
most  eligible  site  in  the  town,  which  he  occu 
pied  with  his  mother  and  widowed  sister,  and 
where  the  former  died  on  October  9,  1777. 
The  announcement  of  her  death  copied  from  a 
journal  of  the  day  reads :  "  To-day  the  mother 

2  One  of  his  descendants  was  the  beautiful  Miss  Re 
becca  Gratz,  of  Philadelphia,  the  original  of  the  Jewess 
in  Scott's  "  Ivanhoe."  Washington  Irving's  encomiums 
of  her  mind  and  person  suggested  the  character  to  Scott. 


6  The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

of  William  Henry  died  in  her  seventy-fifth 
year.  She  was  a  friend  to  the  poor  and 
needy." 

Colonel  Henry  looked  well  to  the  comfort 
and  dignity  of  his  household,  and  was  accus 
tomed  to  the  amenities  of  good  living. 
Among  his  papers  are  receipted  bills  that  tell 
their  own  story. 

He  employed  two  maids  and  a  "  serving 
man,"  and  paid  not  only  for  their  maintenance 
but  for  their  apparel.  On  December  14, 
1778,  he  paid  David  Gordon  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  pounds  for  a  chair  (a  kind  of 
gig)  for  Mrs.  Henry,  and  to  his  hairdresser, 
one  George  Meyer  an  Italian,  who  addressed 
him  as  the  Hon.  Guglilemo  Henry,  for  ad 
justing  his  wigs  to  the  fashion  of  the  day  and 
for  other  attentions,  one  pound  and  five 
shillings. 

In  January  of  1782  he  bought  of  James 
Hall,  a  silversmith  of  Lancaster,  one  dozen 
silver  spoons  and  a  silver  cream  jug  for  Mrs. 
Henry,  and  a  pair  of  gold  buttons  for  Mrs. 
Rose,  his  mother-in-law,  paying  for  them 
seven  pounds  and  ten  shillings. 


CHAPTER  II. 

RESCUE  OF  GELELEMEND,  A  DELAWARE 
CHIEF,  ON  BRADDOCK'S  FIELD. 

T  was  while  serving  with  the  colo 
nial  troops  under  Braddock  in 
1755,  that  Major  Henry,  as  he 
was  then  known,  met  with  an  ad 
venture  in  his  efforts  to  save  the  life  of  an 
Indian  chief  that  has  no  parallel  in  Indian 
history,  and  in  our  skeptical  and  prosaic  day 
reads  like  a  romance. 

Scoffers  have  laughed  at  the  sentimental 
and  "  impossible  "  Indian  of  Cooper's  incom 
parable  tales,  but  in  the  light  of  this  un 
adorned  story  of  Indian  gratitude,  his  ideal 
is  more  than  justified. 

Gelelemend  (the  Delaware  word  for 
leader),  whose  soubriquet  among  the  whites 
was  Killbuck,  a  Delaware  chief,  was  born  in 
1737  at  Lehigh  Water  Gap  among  the  Blue 
Hills  of  Pennsylvania,  where  the  picturesque 
Lehigh  cuts  through  the  mountain  on  its  way 
to  join  the  Delaware  at  Easton. 

His  grandfather,  the  well-known  Netawat- 


8  The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

wes,  chief  counsellor  of  the  Turkey  tribe  of 
the  Delaware  nation,  had  hunted,  fished  and 
trapped  on  both  banks  of  the  Delaware,  from 
its  source  to  the  sea  coast.  With  the  advance 
of  the  whites  he  and  his  people  retreated 
along  the  river,  making  a  final  stand  among 
the  Lehigh  hills,  where  Killbuck  first  saw  the 
light  of  day,  and  where  game  was  still  plen 
tiful. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  colonial  wars 
for  the  supremacy  of  the  western  territory, 
in  which  the  Indians  bore  a  conspicuous  part, 
Killbuck,  who  had  barely  reached  manhood, 
fought  under  the  flag  of  France,  and  on  Brad- 
dock's  disastrous  field  fell  into  the  hands  of 
a  party  of  the  Fortieth  Regiment  of  foot, 
who  were  about  to  dispatch  him  with  their 
bayonets,  when  Major  Henry,  at  the  risk  of 
his  own  life,  rescued  him  from  the  infuriated 
soldiers.  This  merciful  interference,  so  un 
precedented  in  Indian  warfare,  overwhelmed 
the  youthful  brave  with  gratitude,  and  as 
an  expression  of  this  feeling  proposed  to  Ma 
jor  Henry  an  exchange  of  names,  than  which, 
according  to  the  Indian  code,  no  greater 
honor  could  be  conferred. 

From  that  time  until  his  death  Killbuck 


HON.  WILLIAM  HENRY,  JR., 

OF  NORTHAMPTON  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.  9 

was  variously  known  as  Captain  William 
Henry,  William  Henry  Killbuck  and,  towards 
the  close  of  his  life,  as  Old  William  Henry. 
No  opportunity  was  allowed  to  pass  without 
some  exhibition  of  his  gratitude ;  neither  time 
nor  distance  could  efface  it,  and  when  Henry 
passed  away  this  bond  of  friendship  was  ex 
tended  to  his  descendants. 

After  the  French  and  Indian  Wars  he  re 
moved  to  the  west  bank  of  the  Muskingum 
in  the  State  of  Ohio,  where  he  founded  a  vil 
lage  on  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Sharon. 

In  1774  he  revisited  the  scenes  of  his  early 
life  in  Pennsylvania,  stopping  at  Lancaster 
to  call  upon  his  old  friend  Major  Henry,  who 
unfortunately  was  in  Philadelphia.  Mak 
ing  himself  known  to  his  son  William 
Henry,  Jr.,3  he  requested  the  latter  to  convey 

3  William  Henry,  Junior,  son  of  William  and  Ann 
Henry,  was  born  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  March  12,  1757.  In 
1778  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms  in  North 
ampton  County,  and  in  1808  erected  a  forge  in  which  the 
first  iron  manufactured  in  the  county  was  drawn  March 
9,  1809.  In  1813  he  built  the  Boulton  Gun  Works  on  the 
Bushkill,  which  are  still  continued  by  his  descendents  of 
the  name.  Mr.  Henry  was  commissioned,  January  14, 
1788,  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  judge  of  the  courts  of 
common  pleas  and  quarter  sessions  of  the  county,  by 
appointment  of  Governor  Muhlenberg.  He  resigned  1814. 


io         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

to  his  father  the  assurances  of  his  unaltered 
affection. 

He  declared  his  people  knew  how  to  pay 
a  debt  of  gratitude,  as  any  one  of  the  name  of 
Henry  would  discover  if  occasion  required  a 
journey  through  the  West,  which  he  said 
could  be  made  without  fear  of  molestation. 

When  about  to  leave  he  turned  to  Judge 
Henry,  and  in  a  manner  so  impressive  as  not 
to  be  misunderstood,  said,  "  Say  to  your 
father,  Indian  never  forgets." 

He  arrayed  himself  on  the  side  of  the  col 
onies  in  the  Revolution,  cooperating  with  the 
forces  under  Col.  Daniel  Brodhead  in  de 
fending  the  Pennsylvania  frontier  against  the 
depredations  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  is 
honorably  mentioned  by  that  officer  in  his 
correspondence  with  the  military  authorities. 
Pennsylvania,  as  an  appreciation  of  his  ser 
in  1792  he  was  elected  one  of  the  presidential  electors  of 
the  State  and  cast  his  vote  for  Washington's  second  term 
for  President.  He  was  active  in  his  judicial  capacity  in 
suppressing  what  was  known  as  the  Fries  Rebellion  of 
1798-99,  in  Bucks  and  Northampton  Counties,  Pa.,  in 
opposition  to  the  "  House  Law  Tax  "  passed  by  Congress, 
July  9,  1798.  In  1795  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Com 
missioners  to  erect  the  first  bridge  over  the  Delaware, 
at  Easton,  Pa. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         n 

vices,  granted  him  a  pension  of  forty  pounds 
per  annum,  and  the  federal  government  sup 
plemented  it  with  a  grant  of  land,  consisting 
in  part  of  an  island  in  the  Ohio  River  near 
Pittsburg,  still  known  as  Killbuck's  Island. 

It  was  a  happy  coincidence  that  Colonel 
Henry  and  Killbuck  met  for  the  second  time 
in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  1784,  after  the  declara 
tion  of  peace,  where  Congress  then  sat,  Henry 
being  a  delegate  from  Pennsylvania.  Kill- 
buck  was  also  there  in  a  representative  capa 
city,  having  been  selected  to  adjust  certain 
claims  of  his  tribe  for  indemnity  for  lands 
sequestered  by  the  government.  One  can 
readily  imagine  their  cordial  greeting,  twenty- 
nine  years  after  that  eventful  day  on  Brad- 
dock's  field;  and  as  Colonel  Henry  was  one 
of  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs,  Killbuck 
appeared  before  at  least  one  sympathetic  lis 
tener. 

They  never  met  again.  Henry  died  two 
years  later,  and  when  the  news  was  brought 
to  Killbuck  by  the  Moravian  missionary  at 
Salem,  Ohio,  he  sent  a  message  of  condolence 
to  Mrs.  Henry. 

In  1797  William  Henry,  Jr.,  was  in  charge 


12          The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

of  a  commission4  created  by  Congress  to 
locate  a  section  of  public  land  near  Gnaden- 
hutten,  Ohio,  a  gift  from  the  government  to 
the  Moravian  Church  to  reimburse  it  for 
losses  sustained  in  the  Revolution.  It  so  hap 
pened  that  several  of  Killbuck's  children  were 
living  in  the  neighborhood,  and  as  soon  as  it 
was  learned  that  Mr.  Henry  was  one  of  the 
surveying  party  they  came  into  camp,  greeted 
him  with  unfeigned  pleasure  and  were  as 
siduous  in  their  attentions.  Three  months 
were  spent  in  the  woods  by  the  surveyors,  and 
during  that  time  daily  supplies  of  venison, 
bear's  meat,  wild  turkeys  and  other  game  were 
generously  provided  for  the  entire  party. 

In  the  autumn  of  1799  a  party  of  thirty 
Delawares  with  their  squaws  and  pappooses 
(Killbuck  was  living  but  too  old  to  travel), 

4  Attached  to  the  commission  was  the  widely  known 
Moravian  missionary  to  the  Indians,  the  Rev.  John  Hecke- 
welder.  He  was  the  author  of  "  The  History,  Manners 
and  Customs  of  the  Indian  Nations  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  Neighboring  States,"  now  regarded  as  an  author 
ity.  His  daughter,  Johanna  Maria,  born  April  6,  1781, 
at  Salem,  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio,  was  the  first  fe 
male  white  child  born  within  the  borders  of  that  State. 
Strange  as  it  may  sound  in  the  year  1910,  in  which  I 
write,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  her  in  her  declining 
years.  She  died  April  19,  1868. — F.  J.,  JR. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         13 

who  were  on  their  way  to  the  seat  of  govern 
ment,  stopped  at  Nazareth,  Pa.,  to  pay  their 
respects  to  Judge  William  Henry,  Jr.,  who 
received  them  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  per 
mitted  them  to  encamp  on  his  grounds. 

One  of  Mr.  Henry's  children  thus  describes 
the  impression  they  made  on  his  youthful 
mind: 

"  I  well  remember  my  mother's  anxiety  in  conse 
quence  of  their  making  numerous  fires  in  preparing 
their  meals.  My  father  provided  them  with  straw 
upon  which  they  lay,  wrapped  in  their  woolen 
blankets,  and  the  danger  from  fire  was  great.  I 
remember  how  their  gaudy  accoutrements  and  the 
tinsel  on  their  rifles,  tomahawks,  and  scalping  knives, 
attracted  my  attention.  A  few  of  them  spoke  Eng 
lish,  and,  boy-like,  I  tried  to  imitate  their  sonorous 
and  guttural  sounds.  They  came  to  my  father's 
at  two  in  the  afternoon,  and  left  the  next  day  at 
twelve.  I  heard  my  father  speak  of  this  visit  after 
they  had  gone,  and  of  others  made  by  the  Indians, 
in  recognition  of  my  grandfather's  rescue  of  Gele- 
lemend,  which  they  cherished  as  a  sacred  memory." 

In  1800  Matthew  Henry,  another  son  of 
Colonel  Henry,  visited  his  brother,  a  captain 
of  artillery,  United  States  Army,  stationed  at 


14         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Fort  Macinac,  Mich.  On  his  way  out  he 
called  on  old  Killbuck  in  Ohio,  of  whom  he 
writes  to  his  brother  John  Joseph  Henry: 

"  On  the  7th  I  reached  the  Indian  town  of  Goshen 
with  Mr.  Mortimer  and  the  next  morning  visited 
old  Wm.  Henry,  who  expressed  the  greatest  satis 
faction  at  seeing  me.  I  presented  him  with  a 
blanket,  which  I  procured  for  the  purpose,  for  which 
he  thanked  me  in  an  Indian  speech,  which  Mr.  Mor 
timer  interpreted.  The  old  man  speaks  very  good 
English,  but  his  heart  was  so  full  that  he  could  not 
give  utterance  to  his  gratitude  but  in  his  native 
tongue. 

"  He  asked  particularly  about  our  family  and  was 
much  interested  in  my  account  of  your  Canadian 
campaign.  When  I  told  him  of  your  lameness  he 
said  he  thought  it  would  have  been  more  humane 
had  the  British  killed  you  rather  than  to  have  per 
mitted  you  to  live  a  cripple.  He  has  three  sons 
here,  John,  Charles  and  Christian.  John  is  a  re 
markably  fine,  tall,  well-made  man,  with  a  manly, 
open  and  intelligent  countenance. 

"  Charles  is  married  to  a  white  woman,  who  was 
taken  prisoner  when  a  child  near  Minisink.  She 
knows  nothing  of  her  parentage  or  native  language. 
He  is  a  kind  and  affectionate  husband,  and  takes 
a  part  in  all  domestic  labor.  They  are  without 
children. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         15 

"  I  wrote  you  that  I  expected  to  have  Charles  or 
John  Henry  as  a  guide,  but  I  found  them  busily  en 
gaged  in  finishing  their  houses,  therefore  could  not 
expect  them  to  leave,  but  Christian,  an  active  and 
ambitious  young  man  who  lives  with  his  father  and 
whose  wife  is  at  Fairfield  in  Canada,  readily  en 
gaged  to  accompany  me." 

We  now  approach  "  the  last  scene  of  all 
of  this  strange  eventful  history,"  Killbuck's 
pathetic  letter  of  farewell — his  final  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  Colonel  Henry.  It  is  ad 
dressed  to  Judge  William  Henry,  Jr.,  and  is 
in  the  handwriting  of  the  Rev.  John  Morti 
mer,  the  Moravian  missionary,  who  took  the 
words  down  as  Killbuck  dictated  them. 

GOSHEN,  27  Sept.  1805. 
My  dearly  beloved  William  Henry: 

As  you  have  the  same  name  with  me,  and  I 
have  often  heard  of  your  love  for  me  and  my  family, 
therefore  I  send  this  letter  to  you  to  salute  you  all, 
from  me  and  my  children,  and  grandchildren,  and 
to  assure  you  of  our  love  for  you.  My  dearly  be 
loved  brethern:  We  are  truly  poor,  needy  and  un 
deserving  people;  think  with  compassion  on  us.  It 
is  my  desire  to  live  entirely  for  our  Saviour,  and 
place  my  whole  confidence  in  him. 

That  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you. 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 


16         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

He  died  in  1 8 1 1  at  eighty-two,  and  was 
buried  in  Sharon,  where  there  is  still  a  Mora 
vian  congregation,  a  church  he  had  joined  in 
1788.  He  was  an  intelligent,  high-minded 
man,  revered  by  his  people,  over  whom  he  ex 
erted  a  strong  influence.  After  he  had 
learned  and  recognized  the  principles  of 
Christianity  he  expressed  regret  at  the  ex 
cesses  practiced  in  his  early  manhood. 

With  this  concluding  incident  and  the 
death  of  Killbuck  one  would  suppose  our  story 
had  come  to  an  orderly  close;  but  the  end  is 
not  yet,  nor  likely  soon  to  be.  Even  as  these 
lines  are  penned,  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
years  after  the  initial  event  they  so  inade 
quately  describe,  the  present  generation  of 
Killbuck's  descendants  are  perpetuating  the 
traditional  friendship. 

Still  following  the  chain  of  incidents  con 
necting  this  unique  tale  of  Indian  fidelity,  we 
are  informed  that  a  Mr.  Alexander  who  had 
edited  a  newspaper  in  Pittston,  Pa.,  but  had 
removed  to  Kansas,  encountered  an  Indian 
family  in  that  State  of  the  name  of  Henry, 
whom  he  discovered  were  descendants  of  Kill- 
buck.  The  incidents  that  led  to  the  adop 
tion  of  the  name,  as  they  related  them,  agreed 


WILLIAM  HENRY,  3RD, 

OF  WYOMING, 
THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE  CITY  OF  SCRANTON,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         17 

in  every  important  particular  with  the  story  as 
it  is  given  in  these  pages.  Mr.  Alexander 
revisited  Pittston  in  1858,  when  he  communi 
cated  the  foregoing  to  Mr.  William  Henry,5 
of  Wyoming,  Pa.,  a  grandson  of  William 
Henry,  of  Lancaster. 

Coming  down  to  the  present  day,  we  find 
that  in  1873  Jonn  Henry  Killbuck,  a  great- 
great-grandson  of  Gelelemend  was  placed  in 
the  Moravian  Institution  for  boys  at  Naza 
reth,  Pa.,  subsequently  entered  the  Moravian 
College  at  Bethlehem,  and,  after  his  gradua 
tion,  the  missionary  service  of  that  church. 

5  William  Henry,  the  third  of  that  name,  was  born  Au 
gust  15,  1796,  and  died  at  his  home  in  the  Wyoming  Val 
ley,  May  22,  1878.  Having  an  expert  knowledge  of  metal 
lurgy  and  indomitable  energy,  he  was  the  first  to  recog 
nize  the  rich  mineral  resources  of  the  Lackawanna  Val 
ley  and  was  the  pioneer  in  their  development,  his  atten 
tion  being  drawn  to  the  locality  in  1832,  when  the  valley 
was  covered  with  a  primeval  forest.  In  1840  he  induced 
his  sons-in-law,  Selden  T.  and  James  Scranton  and  their 
kinsman  Colonel  George  W.  Scranton,  to  join  him  in 
erecting  the  first  blast  furnace  on  the  site  of  Scranton, 
and  named  it  Harrison,  in  honor  of  General  William 
Henry  Harrison  the  then  candidate  of  the  Whig  Party 
for  President  of  the  United  States.  The  name  of  the 
town  was  afterwards  changed  to  Scrantonia,  and  finally 
to  Scranton,  now  the  third  city  in  point  of  wealth  and 
population  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
tory  must  always  regard  Henry  as  its  real  founder. 
3 


i8         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Following  his  marriage  to  a  white  woman  of 
excellent  parentage,  he  was  assigned  to  labor 
among  the  Indians  of  Alaska.  They  have 
several  children,  all  of  whom,  as  in  all  preced 
ing  generations,  both  on  the  male  and  female 
line,  bear  the  middle  name  of  Henry. 


MRS.  ANN  HENRY, 

BY  BENJAMIN  WEST. 


CHAPTER  III. 

His  MARRIAGE  TO  ANN  WOOD. 

N  January,  1755,  William  Henry 
at  the  age  of  26  had  the  good  for 
tune  to  marry  the  clever  and  ad 
mirable  Ann  Wood,  daughter  of 
Abraham  Wood,  formerly  of  Darby,  Pa.  As 
the  tradition  runs  he  met  her  at  a  tea-party 
given  at  his  house  by  his  widowed  sister,  Mrs. 
Mary  Bickham,  to  which  three  young  ladies 
were  invited  including  Miss  Wood,  and  be 
fore  tea  was  served  some  time  was  passed  in 
Henry's  garden.  In  the  meanwhile  the  latter 
had  placed  a  broom  in  the  hall  in  such  a 
position  as  to  obstruct  the  passage  and  then 
awaited  their  return.  The  first  young  woman 
to  enter  pushed  the  broom  aside,  the  second 
stepped  over  it,  and  the  third,  who  happened 
to  be  Miss  Wood,  picked  it  up  and  stood  it  in 
its  proper  place.  After  they  had  gone  Henry 
remarked  to  his  sister,  "  Mary,  the  girl  who 
picked  up  that  broom  loves  order;  she  is  the 
one  I  shall  endeavor  to  win  and  marry."  As 
it  turned  out  he  not  only  found  her  orderly, 
19 


20         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

but  a  thrifty,  singularly  clear-headed  woman 
of  affairs,  with  an  aptitude  for  administration 
not  often  found  in  her  sex. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband,  which  oc 
curred  while  he  still  held  the  office  of  treasurer 
of  the  county,  she  assumed  his  duties  and  was 
subsequently  appointed  to  fill  out  the  remain 
der  of  his  term,  serving  four  years  thereafter, 
and  retired  with  honor,  the  only  recorded  in 
stance  of  a  woman  holding  such  an  office  in 
the  annals  of  Pennsylvania.  Among  the  Lan 
caster  County  records  we  find  this  bill:  The 
County  of  Lancaster  to  Ann  Henry,  one  of 
the  Executors  of  Wm.  Henry  late  Treasurer 
of  Lancaster  Co.  To  my  salary  as  Treasurer 
of  the  County  of  Lancaster  for  the  year  1787, 
£18. 

During  her  incumbency  Rittenhouse  was 
Treasurer  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  fre 
quent  exchanges  between  the  state  and  county 
there  were  many  opportunities  for  observing 
Mrs.  Henry's  creditable  administration.  A 
letter  addressed  to  her  by  Rittenhouse,  in 
which  he  makes  some  precautionary  sugges 
tions  relative  to  the  disbursement  of  the  public 
monies,  will  serve  as  an  example  of  the  cordial 
relations  existing  between  them. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         21 

PHILADELPHIA,  November  5,  1789. 
Dear  Madam: 

I  have  enclosed  receipts  for  the  money  you  last 
sent  by  the  stage.  By  some  accident  it  was  neglected 
last  week  until  the  wagon  was  gone.  I  have  not 
yet  answered  a  letter  I  received  of  Mr.  Jno. 
Joseph  Henry  respecting  payment  for  servants  en 
listed.  The  Law  is  I  think  still  in  force,  but  the 
business  is  frequently  managed  so  irregularly  that  I 
think  when  you  pay,  the  receipt  ought  to  mention 
expressly  that  the  money  is  to  be  returned  if  the 
vouchers  are  not  satisfactory  to  the  Comptroller  Gen 
eral.  I  would  advise  you  by  no  means  to  pay  any 
orders  of  Orphans  Court  in  favour  of  pensioners, 
widows  of  soldiers,  officers  or  their  children.  These 
payments  should  be  made  on  orders  of  Council  only. 

Mrs.  Rittenhouse  is  very  well.  She  gives  her  best 
respects  to  you.  Our  family  has  hitherto  escaped  the 
influenza,  so  very  common.  I  hope  you  have  done 
the  same. 

I  am  dear  Madam  your  Affectionate  Friend  and 
Humble  Servant 

D.    RlTTENHOUSE.6 

Mrs.  Ann  Henry. 

0  David  Rittenhouse,  physicist  and  astronomer,  born  in 
Roxborough,  Pa.,  now  part  of  Philadelphia,  April  8,  1732. 
In  1763  was  employed  in  determining  the  Mason  and 
Dixon's  Line  and  afterwards  fixed  other  state  boundaries. 
In  1769  the  American  Philosophical  Society  appointed  him 


22         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

All  her  progenitors  were  substantial,  well- 
educated  English  Quakers,  strong  adherents 
of  Penn's  propaganda.  Her  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Ursula  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  Philip 
Taylor,  of  Oxford  Township,  near  Philadel 
phia.  Ann  was  born  January  21,  1732,  at 
Burlington,  N.  J.,  a  posthumous  child,  whither 
her  mother  had  removed  after  the  death  of 
her  husband.  Sometime  later  the  widow  mar 
ried  Joseph  Rose,  of  the  Lancaster  bar,  re 
moving  thither.  It  was  here  that  Ann  Wood 
became  acquainted  with  William  Henry. 
Her  great-grandfather,  George  Wood,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Darby  and  served 
in  the  Assembly.  Her  grandfather,  John 
Wood,  married  Jane  Bevan,  a  daughter  of 
John  Bevan,  an  eminent  Welsh  Quaker  and 
friend  of  William  Penn,  who  came  to  Penn 
sylvania  in  1683  and  took  up  a  large  part  of 
what  was  known  as  the  Welsh  Tract,  in  Mont 
gomery  County,  Pa.,  served  on  the  local  bench 
and  in  the  Assembly,  and  was  a  convincing 
Quaker  preacher. 

to  observe  the  transit  of  Venus  in  Philadelphia;  was 
treasurer  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  from  1777  to  1779 ; 
in  1791  succeeded  Franklin  as  president  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society;  Director  of  the  U.  S.  Mint  from 
1792  to  1795.  Died  in  Philadelphia,  June  26,  1796. 


THE  COAT  OF  ARMS  OF  JOHN  BEVAN 

QUARTERED  WITH  THE   ROYAL  ARMS  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         23 

Notwithstanding  he  had  renounced  the 
pomp  and  allurements  of  the  world  in  join 
ing  the  Society  of  Friends,  he  retained  his  ar 
morial  bearings,  although  he  may  have  been 
innocent  of  any  desire  to  draw  attention  to  his 
lineage,  as  to  which  there  was  some  discussion, 
since  his  shield  was  quartered  with  the  Royal 
Arms  of  England. 

In  his  "  Reminiscences  "  the  Hon.  John 
Joseph  Henry,  second  son  of  William  Henry, 
testifies  to  his  mother's  strong  convictions, 
extensive  reading  and  unusual  cleverness, 
"  and  yet  so  tender  hearted  that  of  a  truth  it 
may  be  said  of  her,  '  She  knew  no  guile.'  ' 

Dr.  William  H.  Egle,  in  "  Some  Pennsyl 
vania  Women  During  the  War  of  the  Revolu 
tion,"  thus  commemorates  her  patriotic  devo 
tion  to  the  American  cause : 

"  She  was  a  typical  matron  of  that  period,  of  great 
energy  of  character  and  in  full  sympathy  with  her 
husband's  active  and  patriotic  life.  During  that 
momentous  period  in  our  history,  her  children  being 
young,  required  her  attention,  yet  she  entertained 
Rittenhouse  and  Paine  when  the  British  occupied 
Philadelphia,  and  it  is  well  known  that  she  aided 
her  husband  in  all  the  various  duties  assigned  to  him, 


24         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

as  Treasurer  of  the  County,  State  Armorer,  Assist 
ant  Commissary  General  and  Member  of  Congress. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  distinguished  John 
Joseph  Henry  who  accompanied  the  expedition  to 
Quebec  under  General  Arnold,  an  account  of  which, 
the  best  ever  written,  was  prepared  by  him." 

Mrs.  Henry  died  March  8,  1799,  and  was 
laid  by  the  side  of  her  husband  in  the  Mora 
vian  Cemetery  in  Lancaster. 

Colonel  Henry's  parents  and  grandparents 
had  been  members  of  the  Church  of  England, 
but  in  the  absence  of  a  church  of  that  denom 
ination  near  their  home  in  Chester  County, 
his  father  and  mother  became  Presbyterians, 
although  they  were  not  in  harmony  with  the 
doctrine  of  reprobation. 

Mrs.  Henry,  however,  whose  antecedents 
were  Quakers,  and  she  herself  one,  was  not  in 
entire  sympathy  with  the  ostentatious  ritual  of 
the  English  Church,  but  had  no  wish  to  return 
to  the  Society  of  Friends  as  at  one  time  sug 
gested  by  her  husband.  Pending  this  spirit 
ual  unrest  she  met  the  wife  of  the  clergyman 
of  the  Moravian  Church,  through  whom  she 
became  an  occasional  attendant,  and  was  so 
favorably  impressed  with  its  appealing  sim 
plicity,  that  she  persuaded  her  husband  to  ac- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         25 

company  her  on  an  occasion  when  the  eloquent 
Bishop  Boehler  was  announced  to  preach; 
and  thus  it  happened  that  both  became  Mora 
vians  in  the  summer  of  1765,  as  are  many 
of  their  descendants  to  this  day. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WILLIAM  HENRY,  THE  BENEFACTOR  AND 
FIRST  PATRON  OF  BENJAMIN  WEST. 

HERE  is  no  incident  in  William 
Henry's  life  that  displays  to 
greater  advantage  his  generosity 
and  appreciation  of  genius  than 
the  encouragement  and  material  assistance 
given  Benjamin  West  at  the  very  inception  of 
his  career,  and  before  he  had  really  deter 
mined  upon  art  as  a  profession. 

Gait  in  his  "  Life  of  West,"7  a  work  in 
spired  by  the  artist  and  published  in  his  Iffe 
time,  thus  speaks  of  Henry: 

"  Henry  was  indeed  in  several  respects  an  extra 
ordinary  man,  and  possessed  the  power  generally 
attended  upon  genius  under  all  circumstances,  that 
of  interesting  the  imagination  of  those  with  whom 
he  conversed." 

7  "Life  of  Benjamin  West,"  by  John  Gait,  London, 
1816.  In  the  preface  Gait  writes:  "It  was  necessary  that 
the  narrative  should  appear  in  his  own  time  in  order  that 
the  authenticity  of  the  incident  might  not  rest  upon  the 
authority  of  any  biographer." 
26 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         27 

He  further  makes  an  appreciative  acknowl 
edgment  of  Henry's  generous  help  and  dis 
criminating  suggestions,  and  intimates  that 
they  were  factors  in  determining  West's 
career. 

Although  Henry  himself  was  not  twenty- 
four  when  West  first  came  under  his  observa 
tion,  an  age  when  the  pursuit  of  one's  own 
happiness  is  apt  to  obscure  all  other  consider 
ations,  his  sympathies  were  at  once  aroused  in 
behalf  of  the  struggling  genius.  Opportu 
nity  alone  seemed  wanting. 

West  was  then  about  fifteen,  a  poor,  unlet 
tered  tinsmith's  apprentice,  living  in  the 
nearby  hamlet  of  Springfield,  Pa.,  where  he 
was  wont  to  exhibit  his  undeveloped  talent  in 
decorating  the  fences  and  barndoors  of  the 
neighborhood  with  drawings,  and  by  an  oc 
casional  rude  painting  for  a  tavern  sign 
board. 

As  the  first  to  recognize  in  these  maiden 
efforts  genius  of  a  high  order,  Colonel  Henry 
invited  the  boy  to  his  house,  assigned  a  room 
to  his  use,  and  supplied  the  materials  essential 
to  his  work.  On  the  walls  of-this  apartment 
were  many  little  studies,  that  were  permitted 
to  remain  until  the  house  was  demolished. 
Here  West  made  a  number  of  excellent  at- 


28         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

tempts  at  portraiture,  of  which  two  examples, 
Colonel  Henry  and  Mrs.  Henry,  are  in  the 
possession  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Penn 
sylvania. 

Urged  to  loftier  ideals  by  Colonel  Henry, 
he  made  his  first  attempt  at  historical  paint 
ing  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  choosing  a  subject 
suggested  by  his  patron,  namely  the  "  Death 
of  Socrates."  As  West  had  never  heard  of 
the  Grecian  philosopher,  Mr.  Henry  went  to 
his  library  for  a  copy  of  Rollin's  "  Ancient 
History  "s  and  drew  West's  attention  to  the 
engraved  frontispiece  which  depicts  Socrates 
in  prison,  surrounded  by  a  group  of  sympa 
thetic  followers  and  soldiers,  in  the  act  of  tak 
ing  the  poison  from  the  hand  of  a  slave. 
From  this  picture  West  drew  his  inspiration, 
adding,  however,  many  additional  figures, 
that  gave  greater  unity  and  balance  to  the 
composition. 

After  making  a  preliminary  study  which 
he  submitted  to  Mr.  Henry,  he  confessed  that 
never  having  had  the  opportunity  to  draw 
from  the  nude  he  was  unable  to  accurately 

8  The  engraving  is  the  frontispiece  of  Vol.  I.,  Rollin's 
"  Ancient  History,"  published  in  London  and  printed  for 
John  and  Paul  Knapton  at  the  Crown  in  Liedgate  St. 
MDCCXXXVIII. 


THE  IDENTICAL  ENGRAVING  FROM  ROLLIN'S  ANCIENT 
HISTORY,  THAT  INSPIRED  WEST'S  "DEATH  OF  SOCRATES." 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         29 

portray  the  half  draped  figure  of  the  slave. 
In  this  dilemma  Mr.  Henry  sent  to  his  factory 
for  a  young  man  who  came  from  the  forge 
bared  to  the  waist,  whose  fine  physique  served 
as  a  model. 

The  identical  volume,  as  well  as  the  paint 
ing,  are  now  in  the  possession  of  a  descendant 
of  Col.  Henry.9  The  canvas,  which  measures 
about  thirty  by  forty-five  inches,  is  a  memor 
able  performance  for  a  boy  of  less  than  eigh 
teen,  unread  in  history,  who  had  never  re 
ceived  an  hour's  elementary  instruction  in,  nor 
beheld  a  meritorious  work  of  art,  contem 
porary  or  medieval  and  was  not  even  ac 
quainted  with  the  process  of  preparing  his 
own  canvas. 

Gait  writes  of  this  epoch  in  West's  life : 

"  Among  those  helpful  to  him  in  his  early  career 
was  William  Henry,  of  Lancaster,  who  had  acquired 
a  handsome  fortune  by  his  profession  of  a  gunsmith. 
On  examining  the  young  Artist's  performances,  he 
observed  that  if  he  could  paint  as  well,  he  would 
devote  himself  to  historical  subjects,  and  he  men 
tioned  the  '  Death  of  Socrates.'  The  painter  knew 
nothing  of  the  life  of  the  philosopher,  and  upon  con 
fessing  his  ignorance,  Mr.  Henry  read  to  him  the 

9  Granville  Henry,  Esq.,  of  Boulton,  Pennsylvania. 


30         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

account  given  of  this  affecting  story,  from  Rollin's 
'  Ancient  History.' 

"  The  suggestion  and  description  wrought  upon  the 
imagination  of  West,  and  induced  him  to  make  a 
drawing,  which  he  showed  to  Mr.  Henry,  who  com 
mended  it,  and  requested  him  to  paint  it.  West 
said  that  he  would  be  happy  to  undertake  the  task, 
but,  having  hitherto  painted  only  faces  and  men 
clothed,  he  was  unable  to  do  justice  to  the  figure  of 
the  slave  who  presented  the  poison,  and  which  he 
thought  ought  to  be  naked.  Henry  had  among  his 
workmen  a  very  handsome  young  man,  and,  without 
waiting  to  answer  the  objection,  sent  for  him.  On 
his  entrance  he  pointed  him  out  to  West  and  said 
'There  is  your  model.'  The  appearance  of  the 
young  man,  whose  arms  and  breast  were  bare,  in 
stantly  convinced  the  artist  that  he  had  only  to  look 
into  nature  for  his  models. 

"  When  the  '  Death  of  Socrates '  was  finished  it 
attracted  much  attention,10  and  led  to  one  of  those 
fortunate  acquaintances  by  which  the  subsequent 
career  of  the  artist  has  been  so  happily  facilitated."11 

Realizing  that  the  colonies  offered  abso 
lutely  no  opportunity  for  the  study  of  art, 
West  decided  to  pursue  his  studies  abroad, 
and  in  1760  sailed  for  England. 

10  A   contemporary   writer   declares   that   the   picture   at 
once  established  his  reputation. 

11  Gait,  pp.  48,  49,  50  and  51. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         31 

Before  his  departure  he  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  Mr.  Henry  in  Philadelphia,  of 
whom  Gait,  commenting  on  this  incident, 
writes : 

"  While  waiting  till  the  vessel  was  clear  to  sail, 
West  had  the  gratification  to  see  in  Philadelphia 
his  old  friend  Mr.  Henry,  for  whom  he  had  painted 
the  '  Death  of  Socrates.'  Towards  him  he  always 
cherished  the  most  grateful  affection.  He  was  the 
first  who  urged  him  to  attempt  historical  composi 
tion;  and  above  all,  he  was  the  first  who  made  him 
acquainted  with  the  magnanimous  tales  of  Plutarch, 
perhaps  the  greatest  favor  which  could  be  conferred 
on  a  youthful  mind." 

Col.  Henry  never  ceased  to  take  the  deepest 
interest  in  West's  rise  to  eminence.  He 
named  his  youngest  son  in  his  honor,  Ben 
jamin  West  Henry,  who  studied  under  Gil 
bert  Stuart  and  became  an  artist  of  no  mean 
ability,  and  when  West  succeeded  Reynolds 
as  president  of  the  Royal  Academy,  he  in 
vited  his  namesake  to  visit  him  in  London. 

In  the  year  1838,  Colonel  John  Trumbull, 
one  of  Washington's  youthful  aides,  who  had 
studied  under  West  in  London,  and  whose 


32         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

paintings  adorn  the  Capitol  at  Washington 
and  the  Trumbull  gallery  in  Boston,  made  a 
special  journey  from  New  York  to  Boulton, 
Pa.,  the  home  of  Mr.  James  Henry12  (who 
had  inherited  the  "  Socrates  "  by  descent),  to 
look  upon  the  first  historical  work  of  his 
honored  preceptor.  In  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Henry  his  family  entertained  Col.  Trumbull, 
who  left  a  card  upon  which  he  wrote :  "  Mr. 
Trumbull  is  highly  gratified  by  the  sight  of 
'  Socrates '  painted  by  his  friend  and  master, 
Mr.  West." 

Subsequently,  Mr.  Henry  called  upon  Col 
onel  Trumbull  in  New  York,  and  in  discussing 

12  James  Henry,  a  great-grandson  of  William  Henry, 
of  Lancaster,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  October  13,  1809. 
In  1822  removed  to  Boulton,  Pa.,  with  his  parents,  where 
his  grandfather,  William  Henry,  Jr.,  had  erected  a  gun 
works,  and  where  a  few  years  later  he  entered  into  part 
nership  with  his  father,  John  Joseph  Henry,  in  the  man 
ufacture  of  arms. 

James  Henry  was  a  patron  of  literature,  contributing  as 
well  essays  and  critical  articles  to  Dwight's  "Journal 
of  Music,"  the  leading  paper  devoted  to  that  art  in  Boston, 
and  to  the  "  Crayon "  and  "  Literary  World "  both  pub 
lished  in  New  York  City,  his  essays  covering  a  wide 
range  of  thought. 

In  1859  he  published  "  Moravian  Life  and  Character," 
an  appreciation,  after  years  of  study,  of  the  history,  re 
ligious  works  and  lyrics  of  that  denomination.  He  died 
June  14,  1895. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         33 

the  place  West  occupied  in  the  world  of  art, 
Col.  Trumbull  remarked  that  in  all  his  stud 
ies  in  continental  Europe  he  had  never  seen 
a  work  of  the  same  character  that  exceeded  in 
merit  the  "  Death  of  Wolfe." 


CHAPTER  V. 

SAILS  FOR  ENGLAND,  CAPTURED  BY  FRENCH 
PRIVATEER  AND  LANDED  IN  SPAIN; 
REACHES  ENGLAND,  MEETS  WATTS  AND 
BECOMES  INTERESTED  IN  His  EXPERI 
MENTS. 

N  the  year  1759,  the  firm  of  Simon 
&  Henry  was  dissolved,  where 
upon  Henry  determined  to  visit 
Europe  for  the  purpose  of  estab 
lishing  direct  connections  with  the  foreign 
iron  and  steel  makers.  Having  provided 
himself  with  letters  of  introduction  from  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Barton,  rector  of  St.  James  Protes 
tant  Episcopal  Church  in  Lancaster,  to 
friends  in  England,  he  sailed  from  Philadel 
phia  in  December,  1760,  on  the  good  ship 
"  Friendship,"  commanded  by  the  popular 
Captain  Nathaniel  Falconer,  bound  for  Lon 
don.  He  paid  the  latter  for  his  passage  the 
sum  of  twenty-five  pounds,  for  which  a  re 
ceipted  bill  is  preserved  among  Henry's 
papers. 

In  that  day  every  voyage  was  an  event,  and 
34 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         35 

they  who  ventured  to  "go  down  to  the  sea 
in  ships  " — if  we  may  call  the  cockle  shell  of 
that  period  a  ship — were  little  less  than 
heroes. 

Unfortunately  his  autobiographical  sketch 
written  with  his  own  hand  in  the  German 
language  which  he  had  acquired,  gives  no  ac 
count  of  the  interesting  minor  details  of  his 
life  on  ship  board.  He  does  say,  however, 
that  there  were  but  two  other  passengers,  a 
man  and  a  woman,  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  returning  to  England  after  visiting 
the  meetings  in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania 
in  a  ministerial  capacity,  and  from  his  nota 
tions  it  is  evident  Henry  was  profoundly  im 
pressed  with  their  piety. 

As  ill  luck  would  have  it,  as  the  ship  en 
tered  the  English  Channel,  on  the  very  thresh 
old  of  England,  she  was  captured  by  a 
French  privateer,  France  and  England  being 
at  war,  and  taken  into  a  Spanish  port.  As 
here,  again,  Henry  has  failed  to  give  an  ac 
count  of  his  capture  and  release,  we  must  be 
satisfied  with  his  simple  statement,  that  after 
a  delay  of  several  months  he  reached  London 
and  obtained  lodgings  in  the  family  of  the 
Quaker  minister  whose  wife  was  one  of  his 


36         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

fellow  passengers  and  whom  he  had  assisted  in 
getting  back  to  her  home. 

He  found  the  public  mind  in  England  agi 
tated  over  the  attempt  of  Watts  to  utilize 
steam  as  a  motive  power,  and  as  Henry  had 
made  some  experiments  of  his  own  in  the  same 
direction  as  early  as  1760,  the  discussions 
greatly  interested  him.  He  met  Watts,  was 
courteously  received  and  shown  his  steam 
engine  in  operation,  from  which  Henry  con 
ceived  the  idea,  which  he  afterwards  perfected, 
of  applying  steam  power  to  boats  on  our  in 
land  rivers. 

Having  satisfactorily  consummated  his  busi 
ness  he  sailed  from  Portsmouth  the  latter  part 
of  November,  1761,  and  after  a  rough  pas 
sage  of  forty-two  days  arrived  in  Philadel 
phia  before  the  end  of  the  year,  and  proceeded 
to  his  home. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

INVENTOR  AND  MAN  OF  SCIENCE.     Is  THE 

FIRST  TO  APPLY  STEAM  TO  MARINE 

NAVIGATION. 

S  the  first  to  apply  steam  to  marine 
navigation ;  in  other  words,  as  the 
inventor  of  the  steamboat,  erro 
neously  credited  to  Fitch,  Henry 
must  always  occupy  a  prominent  niche  in  the 
history  of  scientific  achievement.  His  career 
in  its  many  parallel  incidents  recalls  his  con 
temporary  Franklin.  Both  were  self-taught, 
they  had  the  same  love  for  scientific  research, 
and  the  gift  of  mechanical  invention ;  and  both 
dedicated  their  lives  to  the  service  of  the  state. 
Henry's  recreative  hours  were  spent  in  his 
laboratory,  where  it  was  his  pleasure  to  dis 
course  on  the  scientific  questions  of  the  day; 
and  it  was  there  that  Mrs.  Henry  met  Joseph 
Priestley  whose  "  superlative  attainments  " 
as  she  expressed  it,  in  other  branches  of  science 
she  greatly  admired,  but  could  not  acquiesce 
to  his  theology;  and  it  was  there  also  that  the 
German  traveller  Schoepff  found  Henry  in 
37 


38         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

I78413  experimenting,  not  alone  with  steam  as 
a  motive  power,  but  delving  into  the  more 
subtle  realms  of  electricity  and  magnetism.14 
In  1767  he  became  a  member  of  the  Amer 
ican  Philosophical  Society,  founded  by  Frank 
lin,  whose  signature  is  attached  to  his  certi 
ficate  of  membership;  taking  his  seat  on  the 
same  evening  with  his  life-long  friend,  David 
Rittenhouse.  Although  Franklin's  activities 
in  the  field  of  diplomacy  and  as  agent  abroad 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  made  long  ab 
sences  from  the  country  necessary,  so  that  they 
met  infrequently,  he  knew  and  appreciated 
Henry's  scientific  attainments.  Owing  to  the 
latter's  unobtrusive  temperament  the  knowl 
edge  of  his  achievements  may  have  been  con 
fined  to  a  restricted  circle,  but  none  knew 

13 "  During  the  Revolution  the  House  of  Mr.  Henry  was 
a  place  of  resort  for  men  of  culture  and  intellectual 
standing.  The  host  being  a  man  of  acknowledged  ability 
and  well-known  reputation,  naturally  attracted  others  of 
like  grade  around  him."  From  Harris's  "  Biographical 
History  of  the  Eminent  Men  of  Lancaster  County,  Penn- 
sulvania." 

"Extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  American  Philosoph 
ical  Society:  "1789,  April  17,  21  members  present,  Frank 
lin  presiding.  A  memoir  '  On  the  effects  of  heat  in 
conducting  the  Electric  Fluid  and  explaining  the  phe 
nomena  of  thunder  the  Aurora  Borealis,  etc.,'  by  the  late 
William  Henry  of  Lancaster,  was  read." 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         39 

better    than     Rittenhouse    the    qualities    of 
Henry's  mind  and  his  undoubted  genius. 

PHILADELPHIA,  February  24,  1776. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  second  volume  of  the  transactions  of  our  Philo 
sophical  Society  is  now  in  the  press  and  in  good  for 
wardness.  It  will  be  a  neat  and  valuable  book; 
have  you  not  something  to  communicate  which  you 
would  wish  to  have  inserted?  I  have  the  honor 
to  be 

Your  obedient  and  humble  servent, 

DAVID  RITTENHOUSE. 
To  WILLIAM   HENRY,   ESQ., 
Lancaster,  Pa., 

Henry  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Juliana 
Library  of  Lancaster,  founded  1759,  one  of 
the  first  circulating  libraries  in  the  country  (as 
was  also  the  father  of  Robert  Fulton)  ;  for  a 
time  its  librarian,  and  gave  a  room  in  his 
house  for  the  storage  of  its  books.  He  de 
vised  labor-saving  machines  that  were  helpful 
in  his  gun  works;  is  credited  with  the  inven 
tion  of  the  screw  augur,15  invented  a  system 

15  For  a  detailed  account  of  the  invention  of  this  indis 
pensable  tool  by  William  Henry,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Ree's  "  Encyclopedia "  published  in  New  York  in  1820, 


40         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

of  steam  heating  suggesting  that  now  in 
vogue,  and  constructed  a  steam  wheel  which 
had  he  lived  would  have  been  converted  into 
a  steam  carriage,  and  from  the  latter  to  a 
locomotive  engine  requires  no  extravagant 
flight  of  the  imagination. 

But  his  claim  to  an  enduring  fame  as  an 
inventor  must  rest  with  his  successful  appli 
cation  of  steam  to  the  propulsion  of  vessels. 

Dr.  Robert  H.  Thurston,  late  director  of 
the  department  of  mechanical  engineering, 
Cornell  University,  in  his  "  Life  of  Robert 
Fulton,"  pays  a  well-deserved  tribute  to 
Henry's  genius  and  credits  him  with  the  honor 
of  inventing  and  building  the  first  steamboat. 
His  appreciative  sketch  compiled  from  fugi 
tive  accounts  of  Henry's  life,  would,  however, 
have  been  amplified  had  he  had  access  to  "  the 
Colonial  Records,"  the  published  "  Archives 
of  Pennsylvania,"  the  collections  in  the  His 
torical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,16  and  to 

vol.  i,  page  15.  The  length  of  the  article,  which  covers 
some  five  or  eight  octavo  pages,  makes  its  reproduction 
here  prohibitory. 

16  The  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania  has  several 
folio  volumes  of  letters  to  and  from  Col.  Henry,  and  his 
accounts  with  the  state  and  colonial  governments. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         41 

material  in  possession  of  his  descendants.17 
He  would  have  learned,  as  we  have,  that  he 
was  not  unknown  to  fame.  Indeed  it  is  com 
mon  knowledge,  handed  down  from  genera 
tion  to  generation,  that  his  many  and  engross 
ing  activities  in  other  directions,  and  his 
premature  death  at  fifty-seven  alone  pre 
vented  the  complete  development  of  his  plans 
for  the  utilization  of  steam. 

We  reproduce  from  the  Transactions  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society  of  1768,  with 
out  abbreviation  on  account  of  its  importance, 
a  communication  from  William  Henry,  de 
scribing  his  invention  of  a  so-called  sentinel- 
register,  the  motive  power  of  which  was 
steam.  The  reader  will  observe  that  it  had 
been  in  successful  operation  for  over  a  year, 
i.e.,  previous  to  1767. 

Here  we  have  the  unimpeachable  evidence 
that  Henry,  if  not  the  very  first,  was  certainly 
among  the  first  to  apply  steam  as  a  motive 
power  for  any  purpose  on  this  continent. 

One  has  but  to  read  his  explanatory  note 
to  realize  his  thorough  grasp  of  the  principle 

17  Mr.  Granville  Henry,  of  Boulton,  Pa.,  great-great- 
grandson  of  William  Henry,  has  a  collection  of  letters 
covering  the  entire  period  of  the  Revolution,  from  prom 
inent  actors  in  that  struggle,  to  his  distinguished  ancestor. 


42         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

governing  the  elasticity  of  the  air  and  the 
power  to  be  derived  from  its  expansion,  a 
scientific  truth  then  in  its  infancy. 

We  have  every  reason  to  believe,  however, 
that  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  financier, 
essentially  Colonel  Henry's  sphere,  he  re 
garded  its  application  to  marine  propulsion  as 
promising  great  financial  returns,  and  with  the 
hope  of  attaining  that  end,  applied  himself  to 
its  solution,  of  which  his  steam  wheel  and 
sentinel-register  were  but  subsidiary  experi 
ments. 


rig  i 


THE  SENTINEL  REGISTER, 

A  STEAM   MACHINE  INVENTED  BY  WILLIAM   HENRY,  1767. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         43 

^.GSfe*^  — ^GS^5"f  r*'&3& 


THE 

TRANSACTIONS 

O  F    T  H  E 
American  Philofophical  SOCIETY,  &c. 


A  defection  of  a  SELF-MOVING  or  SEN- 
TINEL  REGISTER, invented  by  WILLIAM  HEN- 
R  Y,  of  Lancafter,  and  ly  him  communicated  to  tbe 
AMERICAN  SOCIETY,  held  at  Philadelphia,  for  pro 
moting  USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE. 

The  machine  consists  of  the  following  parts: 

1.  A,  A  Door  or  common  register,  applied  in  the 
flue  of  a  furnace.     The  door  is  fitted  in  a  frame, 
and  made  to  slide  easily  up  and  down. 

2.  B,  A  Balance  or  beam,  moving  on  a  center; 
the  two  arms  are  of  unequal  lengths,  the  longer  ex 
ceeding  the  shorter  in  the  proportion  of  2  to  I ;  the 
extremity  of  each  arm  is  formed  into  a  segment  of 


44         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

a  circle,  whose  radius  is  equal  in  length  to  each 
respective  arm.  These  segments  must  be  equal  to 
the  greatest  rise  or  fall  of  each  end  of  the  balance 
when  in  use. 

The  length  of  the  whole  beam  or  balance  must 
be  regulated  by  the  situation  of  the  register  A,  and 
the  copper  C,  hereafter  mentioned. 

3.  C,  A  Copper  vessel,  about  13  inches  diameter, 
and    10   inches   deep,   with   a   double   bottom   and 
sides,  which  are  placed  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
apart  from  each  other,  leaving  a  space  between  to 
contain  air.     The  top  or  cover  is  brazed  on,  and 
the  whole  made  air-tight.     Through  the  top  is  in 
serted  a  brass  cock,  and  also  a  brass  or  copper  cylin 
der,  open  at  both  ends,  about  2  inches  and  a  quarter 
in  diameter,  and  2  feet  long,  so  fixed  as  to  rise  14 
inches  above  the  top,  and  to  reach  near  to  the  bot 
tom  of  the  vessel. 

Through  the  side  of  the  innermost  vessel,  near  the 
top,  are  some  holes  made,  whereby  the  air  in  the 
cavity  between  the  two  bottoms  and  sides,  may  com 
municate  with  the  air  in  the  inside  of  the  vessel. 

4.  D,  A  Phial  2  inches  diameter,  and  7  inches 
deep,  corked  and  sealed,  with  a  hook  fixed  in  the 
cork,  by  which  the  phial  is  to  be  suspended. 

These  are  the  principal  parts  of  the  machine, 
which  are  to  be  applied  as  follows, 

From  the  furnace  let  there  be  an  horizontal  flue, 
of  a  convenient  length.  In  the  walls  of  the  flue, 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         45 

the  frame,  in  which  the  register  slides,  is  fixed 
perpendicularly,  so  that  when  the  register  is  down, 
the  flue  is  closed,  when  the  register  is  drawn  up,  the 
flue  is  opened,  and  the  higher  it  is  raised,  the  more 
is  the  passage  of  the  fire  enlarged. 

To  the  shorter  end  of  the  balance,  which  is 
supported  on  a  proper  fulcrum,  at  a  convenient 
heighth,  the  register  is  suspended  by  a  chain  and  a 
rod ;  the  chain  is  just  long  enough  to  wind  over  the 
segment  of  the  circle,  at  the  end  of  the  beam.  The 
register  is  made  so  heavy,  as  to  descend  by  its  own 
weight. 

At  the  distance  of  2,  3,  or  more  feet  from  the  reg 
ister,  and  on  the  flue  of  the  furnace,  the  copper 
vessel  C  is  fixed,  so  as  to  receive  a  heat  from  the 
fire  passing  through  the  flue.  The  end  of  the  long 
est  arm  of  the  balance  extends  directly  over  the 
cylinder  fixed  in  the  copper,  and  to  it  the  phial  D  is 
suspended,  so  as  to  hang  within  the  tube,  and  by 
such  a  length  of  chain  and  rod  as  will  allow  it  to  be 
about  2  or  3  inches  immersed  in  the  tube,  when  the 
balance  is  an  equilibrio.  On  the  same  end  of  the 
beam  on  which  the  phial  is  suspended,  a  weight  is 
hung  sufficient,  with  the  weight  of  the  phial,  to 
over  balance  the  register,  and  raise  it,  and  conse 
quently  open  the  flue.  When  the  flue  is  opened  to 
a  due  degree,  the  register  is  held  in  that  situation, 
until  so  much  water  is  poured  into  the  copper 
through  the  cock,  as  will  fill  one-third  of  the  vessel ; 


46         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

then  shut  the  cock,  and  pour  water  into  the  cylinder, 
until  it  rises  high  enough  to  float  the  phial.  By 
pouring  water  into  the  cylinder,  the  air  in  the  vessel 
is  compressed,  and  finding  no  way  to  escape,  as  the 
vessel  is  air-tight,  it  resists  the  water,  and  prevents 
its  occupying  the  whole  space;  and  therefore  the 
upper  part  of  the  vessel  is  apparently  empty.  The 
phial  is  loaded  with  shot,  so  that  it  will  swim  about 
one  third  above  the  water.  When  the  water  rises  in 
the  tube,  the  phial  rises  with  it,  in  which  case  the 
register  A  is  so  balanced,  that  it  descends,  and 
closes  the  flue. 

After  this  description,  the  principles  on  which  the 
Sentinel-Register  acts,  must  be  obvious  to  every 
person  acquainted  with  the  elasticity  of  the  air,  and 
that  this  elasticity  is  encreased  by  heat.  For  when 
the  fire  in  the  furnace  is  increased,  the  degree  of 
heat  in  the  flue  is  also  increased;  this  increases  the 
elasticity  of  the  air  contained  between  the  double 
bottom  and  sides  of  the  copper,  and  consequently 
of  that,  which  occupies  the  space  above  the  water, 
as  there  is  a  communication  by  means  of  the  holes 
already  described.  The  elasticity  of  the  air  being 
increased  it  expands,  and  by  its  expansion  forces  the 
water  up  the  tube;  the  water  being  raised,  carries 
the  phial  with  it,  whereupon  the  register  preponder 
ating  descends,  closes  the  flue,  and  by  lessening  the 
draught  of  the  chimney  or  flue,  deadens  or  checks 
the  fire  in  the  furnace.  By  this  means  again  the 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         47 

heat  in  the  flue  is  diminished,  the  air  in  the  cavity 
becomes  cooler,  and  consequently  less  elastic,  where 
upon  the  water  descends  in  the  tube,  and  with  it  the 
phial  to  its  stationary  point.  By  the  descent  of  the 
phial  the  register  is  raised,  and  opens  the  flue;  by 
which  means  it  stands  as  a  Sentinel  over  the  fire,  and 
preserves  an  equal  degree  of  heat. 

That  this  will  be  the  effect  of  the  machine,  I  can 
attest,  having  used  it  for  more  than  a  year. 

It  is  submitted  to  the  curious,  whether  this  ma 
chine  might  not  be  usefully  applied,  1st,  to  regulate 
the  heat  of  chymical  and  alchymical  furnaces,  where 
long  digestions,  and  a  uniform  degree  of  heat  are 
required ;  2dly,  in  the  making  of  steel,  and  in  burn 
ing  of  porcelain  ware,  in  which  a  due  regulation  of 
the  fire  is  of  great  importance;  3dly,  in  green  or  hot 
houses,  and  in  apartments  for  hatching  chickens, 
according  to  the  Egyptian  method.  With  a  little 
alteration  it  might  be  applied  to  the  purpose  of  open 
ing  doors,  windows,  and  other  passages,  for  a 
draught  of  air,  and  thereby  preserve  a  due  tempera 
ture  of  the  air  in  hospitals,  &c. 

Dr.  Thurston  further  declares  in  his  "  Life 
of  Fulton  " : 

"  Many  other  inventors  were  now  studying  the 
problem  of  steam  as  a  motive  power  in  different 
parts  of  the  civilized  world.  Among  these,  none 


48         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

were  as  ingenious  or  as  persistent  or  as  successful 
as  those  of  the  then  British  Colonies,  later  the 
United  States  of  America.  Among  these  was  a 
group  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  Mechanics 
who,  seemingly  each  more  or  less  familiar  with  the 
work  of  the  others,  struggled  on  persistently,  and 
finally  successfully.  A  nucleus  consisting  of  one  of 
these  men  and  his  friends  and  coadjutors,  became, 
ere  long,  the  germ  of  the  great  movement  which 
in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  resulted 
in  the  final  application  of  the  powers  of  steam  to 
the  propulsion  of  steam  vessels, — first  on  the  rivers 
of  the  United  States  and  the  harbours  of  Great 
Brintain,  then  on  all  the  oceans.  The  Originator 
of  this  sudden  movement  in  the  United  States  seems 
to  have  been  a  man  unknown  to  fame,  and  one  of 
whom  few  records  are  preserved.  Our  own  infor 
mation,  hitherto  unpublished,  comes  from  an  indis 
tinctly  traced  source;  but  its  facts  have  been  fairly 
well  verified  by  independent  historical  investigation. 
"William  Henry  was  born  in  Chester  County, 
Penn.,  in  the  year  1729  his  father,  John  Henry, 
with  his  parents,  and  two  brothers — Robert  and 
James18 — emigrated  to  this  country  from  the  north 
or  Ireland  in  or  about  the  year  1719  or  1720.  The 
father  of  James,  Robert  and  John  was  a  native  of 

18  Robert  and  James  Henry  married  sisters  named  Mary 
Ann  and  Sarah  Davis,  who  resided  in  Chester  County. 
Robert  subsequently  removed  to  Virginia. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         49 

Scotland,  but  for  a  short  time  previous  to  his  com 
ing  to  this  country  had  resided  in  one  of  the  northern 
counties  of  Ireland.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  fam 
ily  in  Pennsylvania  they  settled  in  Chester  County, 
where,  as  before  stated,  the  subject  of  our  sketch  was 
born.  At  an  early  age  he  became  a  resident  of  Lan 
caster,  Penn.,  where  he  learned  the  business  of  a 
gunsmith,  and  in  a  few  years  became  the  principal 
gunsmith  in  the  province.  During  the  Indian  wars 
which  desolated  Pennsylvania  from  1755  to  1760, 
he  was  appointed  principal  armourer  of  the  troops 
then  called  into  service. 

"  In  the  year  1760  he  visited  England.  Having  a 
mechanical  turn  of  mind,  the  inventions  and  the 
application  of  steam  by  Watt  being  then  much  dis 
cussed,  the  idea  of  its  application  to  the  propelling 
of  boats,  vehicles,  etc.,  so  engrossed  his  mind  that  on 
his  return  to  his  home  in  Lancaster  he  began  the 
construction  of  a  machine,  the  motive  power  of 
which  was  steam.  In  1763  Mr.  Henry  completed 
the  machine,  which  was  attached  to  a  boat  with 
paddles,  and  with  it  he  experimented  on  the  Cones- 
toga  River,  near  Lancaster  but  the  boat,  a  stern 
wheeler,  was  structurally  weak  and  unable  to  resist 
the  pounding  action  of  the  engine. 

"This  was  the  first  attempt  that  ever  had  been 
made  to  apply  steam  to  the  propelling  of  boats. 
Notwithstanding  the  ill  luck  that  attended  the  first 
attempt  in  an  undertaking  of  the  practicability  of 

5 


50         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

which  he  had  not  the  least  doubt,  he  constructed  a 
second  model,  with  improvements  on  the  first." 

Doctor  Thurston  continues : 

"  An  intelligent  German,  Herr  Schoepff,  who  trav 
elled  through  the  United  States  in  1783-1784  whilst 
staying  for  a  time  in  Lancaster,  became  aquainted 
with  Mr.  Henry.  He  says:  'I  was  shown  a  ma 
chine  by  Mr.  Henry,  intended  for  the  propelling  of 
boats,  etc.,  "  but,"  said  Mr.  Henry,  "  I  am  doubtful 
whether  such  a  machine  would  find  favor  with  the 
public,  as  every  one  considers  it  impracticable  to 
make  a  boat  move  against  wind  and  tide  " ;  but  that 
such  a  boat  will  come  into  use,  and  navigate  on  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  he  had  not  the 
least  doubt,  though  the  time  had  not  yet  arrived  of 
its  being  appreciated  and  applied.  I  omit  to  men 
tion  other  electrical  and  magnetic  experiments  which 
occupy  Mr.  Henry's  leisure  hours,  in  an  agreeable 
and  useful  manner,  all  of  which  indicate  him  to  be 
a  gentleman  of  refined  mind  and  deep  study.' 

"A  sketch  of  the  machine  with  the  boilers,  etc., 
made  by  Mr.  Henry  in  1779,  is  said  to  be  still  in  the 
possession  of  his  heirs. 

"  John  Fitch  (for  whom  his  biographer  claimed  the 
honour  of  the  invention  of  the  application  of  steam 
to  the  propulsion  of  boats)  was  a  frequent  visitor  at 
Mr.  Henry's  house,  and  according  to  the  belief  of 
his  friends  obtained  from  him  the  idea  of  the  steam- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         51 

boat.  Fulton,  then  a  young  lad,  also  visited  Mr. 
Henry  to  examine  the  paintings  of  Benjamin  West; 
and  the  germ  that  subsequently  ripened  into  the 
construction  of  the  '  Folly '  was  possibly  due  to  those 
visits.19 

"William  Henry,  though  unsuccessful  with  the 
experiments  with  his  first  boat  on  the  Conestoga 
River,  thus  very  probably  originated  the  idea  of  the 
steamboat  at  least  five  years  before  Fulton  was  born. 
The  following  extract  may  throw  some  light  on  the 
subject:20 

"  Dec.  2nd.,  1785.     At  a  special  meeting  of  the 

19  Mrs.  Alice  Crary  Sutcliffe,  a  great-granddaughter  of 
Fulton,  in  her  "Robert  Fulton  and  the  Clermont"  pub 
lished  by  the  Century  Company,  1909,  under  the  heading 
"  Early  Experiments  of  William  Henry  and  John  Fitch  " 
remarks:  "Fulton  must  have  already  been  familiar  with 
some  of  the  early  attempts  toward  steam  navigation, 
through  his  Lancaster  townsman,  William  Henry." 

20 The  Lancaster  "Pathfinder"  contains  the  following 
item  in  one  of  its  numbers  for  1858:  "Immediately  op 
posite  the  home  of  William  Henry  was  the  residence  of 
Robert  Fulton's  father  (the  same  building  which  is  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Emmanuel  Shaffer  and  Mr.  Abraham 
Erenannen)  at  this  time,  1777,  Robert  Fulton  was  twelve 
years  of  age  and  between  school  hours  was  a  daily  visitor 
at  Mr.  Henry's  works,  aiding  and  assisting  him  in  mak 
ing  astronomical  and  mathematical  instruments  for  the 
famed  mathematician,  astronomer  and  philosopher,  David 
Rittenhouse,  of  Germantown,  Philadelphia.  Is  it  any 
wonder  that  in  1749,  when  West  was  eleven  years  of 
age  and  in  1777  when  Fulton  was  just  twelve,  that  the 


52         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Philosophical  Society,  John  Fitch  was  personally 
presented  to  the  members.  Desirous  of  having  the 
opinion  of  men  of  weight  at  that  period,  he  con 
sulted  several,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Henry,  of 
Lancaster,  '  Who  informed  me,'  says  Fitch,  *  that 
he  was  the  first  person  who  had  thought  of  applying 
steam  to  vessels;  that  he  had  conversed  with  Mr. 
Paine,  author  of  "  Common  Sense  "  and  some  time 
after  with  Mr.  Ellicott.'  Mr.  Henry,  thinking 
more  seriously  of  the  matter,  was  of  the  opinion  that 
it  might  be  perfected,  and  accordingly  made  some 
drafts,  which  he  laid  before  the  American  Philo 
sophical  Society."21 

After  the  death  of  William  Henry  in  1786, 
a  controversy  arose  between  Mr.  James  Rum- 
sey  of  Virginia,  who  had  also  invented  a 
steamboat  (afterwards  found  to  be  impracti 
cable),  and  John  Fitch,  as  to  their  respective 
claims  to  priority.  Referring  to  Rumsey's 
claim,  Fitch  makes  the  acknowledgment  that 
"  although  Rumsey  might  claim  precedence, 
as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  Mr.  Henry  was 
long  before  Rumsey  in  making  a  draft  and 
preparing  a  model  of  a  Steam  Boat,  although 
he  did  not  publically  announce  it." 

master   mind   of  the   noble   citizen   William   Henry,   Esq., 
did  arouse  and  excite  to  action  the  natural  genius  of  West 
and  Fulton?" 
21 "  Inventor's  Guide,"  by  J.  G.  Moore. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         53 

Subsequently  Mrs.  Henry  in  behalf  of 
Fitch's  claim,  made  affidavit  to  the  year  when 
he  visited  her  husband.  She  also  mentions 
that  the  latter  intended  to  submit  his  model  to 
the  American  Philosophical  Society,  often 
made  the  depository  of  new  inventions,  long 
before  his  death.  The  document  which  fol 
lows  will  be  found  in  the  United  States  Patent 
Office  Report  for  1849-50. 

This  is  to  certify  that  Mr.  John  Fitch  called  upon 
William  Henry,  Esquire,  my  late  husband  in  his 
life  time,  about  two  years  and  a  half  since  (1785),- 
when  Mr.  Fitch  showed  to  him  drafts  and  a  model 
of  a  machine  to  propel  a  boat  through  the  water; 
and  further,  that  I  have  frequently  heard  of  Mr. 
Henry  applying  steam  as  a  means  to  urge  boats 
through  the  water  by  force  of  it,  and  that  he  had 
proposed  laying  a  model  of  a  machine  for  that  pur 
pose  before  the  Philosophical  Society  long  before 
Mr.  Fitch  called  upon  him. 

Witness  my  hand  this   I2th  day  of  May  1788. 

ANN  HENRY. 
Test.  Jno.  Jos.  Henry. 

It  thus  appears  that  Fitch's  biographer  is 
culpably  misleading  in  his  indirect  and  half 
hearted  acknowledgment  of  his  indebtedness 
to  Henry. 


54         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

In  the  absence  of  accurate  information  even 
Dr.  Thurston's  account  of  Fitch's  interview 
with  Henry,  although  essentially  correct  in 
its  minor  details,  differs  in  one  very  important 
omission,  namely,  when  Fitch,  who  was  on 
his  way  to  Kentucky  to  develop  his  land  pur 
chase,  called  upon  Henry  at  his  home  in  Lan 
caster  in  1785,  Henry  ingenuously  permitted 
him  to  examine  his  perfected  model;  at  the 
same  time  he  took  the  opportunity  of  inform 
ing  Fitch  that  he  had  experimented  with  his 
steamboat  as  early  as  1760,  and  had  discussed 
its  possibilities,  particularly  as  to  its  ability  to 
make  headway  against  wind  and  tide,  with 
Andrew  Ellicott,  and  later  with  Thomas 
Paine  who  had  considerable  mechanical  inge 
nuity,  in  1778;  but  added,  with  that  modesty 
which  was  characteristic  of  him,  coupled  with 
an  unwillingness  to  inflict  an  injury,  even 
though  it  recoiled  upon  himself,  that  as  he 
(Fitch)  had  proclaimed  his  invention  to  the 
world,  he  would  not  claim  it.22 

Dr.  Thurston  thus  concludes  his  summary 
of  Henry's  connection  with  the  invention  of 
the  steamboat. 

22  From  records  in  the  possession  of  Col.  Henry's  descen 
dants. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         55 

"  Fitch  evidently  made  the  first  successful  experi 
ment  in  the  propelling  of  boats  by  steam;  but 
William  Henry  had  probably  the  honour  of  origina 
ting  the  idea,  and  building  the  first  steamboat  ever 
built  in  the  United  States.  Fitch  improved  on  Mr. 
Henry's  model,  and  Fulton  improved  on  both. 

"Thus  a  group  of  alert,  intelligent,  enterprising 
men,  in  this  little  town,  were  all  interested  in  the 
solution  of  a  new  problem. 

"  So  much  progress  had  been  made  that  the  out 
come  could  hardly  be  doubted.  Papin  had,  early  in 
the  eighteenth  century,  actually  built  a  steamboat; 
Jonathan  Hulls  in  1737  secured  British  patents 
on  another  form;  William  Henry  had  put  his  little 
boat  on  the  Conestoga  River  in  1 763 ;  the  Conte  d' 
Auxiron  had  launched  a  steamboat  on  French  waters 
in  1774;  ten  years  later  Oliver  Evans  and  James 
Rumsey  came  forward  with  their  peculiar  systems  of 
propulsion ;  and  John  Fitch  appeared  about  the  same 
date,  1785. 

"  Fulton  was  born  at  Little  Britain,  Lancaster 
County,  Penn.,  in  1765.  He  was  of  Irish  descent, 
his  father  having  come  from  Kilkenny  when  quite 
a  young  man.  The  Fultons  had,  although  living 
in  the  then  wilderness,  distinguished  families  for 
their  neighbours.  The  family  of  Benjamin  West 
lived  in  the  adjacent  county;  and  the  home  of 
William  Henry,  close  by,  was  a  rendezvous  for 
many  interesting  and  stimulating  acquaintances  and 
a  most  enjoyable  society." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ENTERS  PUBLIC  LIFE  AND  ESPOUSES  AMERI 
CAN  CAUSE. 

OLLOWING  Colonel  Henry's  re 
turn  from  Europe  there  was  an 
uneventful  interregnum,  during 
which  he  resumed  the  direction  of 
his  gun  works,  gathered  up  the  threads  of  his 
neglected  scientific  investigations,  and  was 
honored  with  civil  appointments  by  the  state 
and  county. 

While  in  no  sense  a  politician,  his  name 
invariably  came  up  for  consideration  as  one 
whose  unswerving  integrity  and  intelligent 
grasp  of  affairs  made  him  available  for  the 
highest  honors  in  the  gift  of  his  townsmen; 
and  by  steady  gradations  he  became  one  of 
Pennsylvania's  distinguished  representatives. 
He  was  Assistant  Burgess  of  Lancaster  con 
tinuously  from  1765  to  1775,  but  what  may 
be  called  his  first  entry  into  public  life,  was  his 
appointment  by  the  Assembly  in  1771  a 
Canal  Commissioner. 

To  her  honor  be  it  said,  Pennsylvania  was 
56 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         57 

one  of  the  first  of  the  colonies  to  consider  the 
subject  of  internal  improvements,  and  to  her 
belongs  the  credit  of  seriously  contemplating 
an  inland  waterway  as  early  as  1762.  Under 
the  act  creating  the  commission  it  was  in 
structed  to  "  examine  the  different  branches 
of  the  Susquehanna,  Schuylkill  and  Lehigh 
Rivers,  to  measure  by  the  most  direct  course 
and  distance  between  them,  to  observe  the  soil 
and  other  circumstances  in  the  intermediate 
country  and  report  how  far  the  said  waters  are 
and  may  be  navigable  up  the  branches  thereof, 
and  whether  the  opening  and  communication 
between  them  for  the  purpose  of  navigation 
or  land  carriage  be  practicable." 

On  September  24,  1771,  the  commission, 
which  was  composed  of  John  Sellers,  Ben 
jamin  Lightfoot  and  Joseph  Elliott,  reported 
to  the  Assembly,  whereupon  Lightfoot  re 
signed  and  William  Henry  was  appointed  in 
his  place.  On  January  18,  1772,  Samuel 
Rhodes  and  Surveyor  General  Lukens  were 
added  to  the  commission,  and  two  weeks  later 
David  Rittenhouse. 

Thus  Henry  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  his 
active  life  until  the  distant  rumbling  of  the 
storm  about  to  break  over  the  colonies  aroused 
his  patriotic  spirit. 


58         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

We  are  fortunate  in  having  at  our  com 
mand  the  journal  of  a  Lancaster  chronicler  of 
Revolutionary  events  from  which  we  shall 
draw  liberally  in  noting  Colonel  Henry's  con 
nection  with  that  stirring  period.  Thus,  when 
it  was  seen  that  a  conflict  was  inevitable,  Lan 
caster  assumed  an  importance  and  bustle  quite 
foreign  to  its  usual  air  of  peaceful  serenity. 
Many  Philadelphians  rented  houses  there  to 
escape  the  vicissitudes  of  the  war,  and  later 
it  became  the  seat  of  the  state  government, 
and  the  depot,  from  its  position  and  affluence 
the  most  important  in  the  colonies,  for  every 
description  of  war  material.  When  the  news 
came  of  the  clash  between  the  militia  and  the 
British  at  Lexington  and  Concord  on  April 
19,  1775,  it  set  the  town  aflame. 

Amid  these  exciting  scenes  no  one  was  more 
actively  engaged  than  Colonel  Henry  either 
in  a  civil  or  military  capacity,  and  his  promi 
nence  made  his  house  the  center  of  interest  for 
the  patriotic  of  all  classes,  where  the  latest 
information  could  be  had  of  the  military  sit 
uation.  A  sentinel  paced  before  his  door,  offi 
cers  of  the  army  were  coming  and  going,  and 
delegates  to  Congress  and  members  of  the 
Assembly  mingled  in  the  anxious  and  busy 
throng. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         59 

"  No  man  played  a  more  conspicuous  or 
important  part  in  our  local  history  during  the 
Revolution  than  William  Henry.  Nowhere 
was  there  a  more  ardent  or  more  trusted  pa 
triot,"  writes  Frank  R.  Diffenderffer,  of  Lan 
caster,  in  his  "  The  Story  of  a  Picture." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

JOHN  JOSEPH  HENRY  JOINS  ARNOLD'S  EX 
PEDITION  AGAINST  CANADA,  is  TAKEN 
PRISONER  AND  CONFINED  IN  QUEBEC. 

N  view  of  what  he  saw  and  heard 
going  on  all  about  him  and  in 
an  element  so  intensely  patriotic, 
it  was  not  surprising  that  among 
the  young  men  of  Lancaster  to  volunteer  at 
the  first  call  to  arms  was  John  Joseph  Henry 
a  youth  not  seventeen,  the  second  son  of  Wil 
liam  Henry,  who  enlisted  without  his  father's 
consent  but  with  his  mother's  knowledge  and 
assistance  in  Captain  Smith's  Company  of 
Colonel  Thompson's  Battalion  of  Riflemen; 
and  it  is  said  that  when  the  Company  was 
officially  inspected  by  Colonel  Henry  who 
went  to  Reading,  Pa.,  for  the  purpose,  his 
son's  presence  in  the  ranks  was  not  discovered. 
Smith's  Company  was  ordered  to  join  Arnold 
at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  the  latter  was 
drawing  together  a  force  for  the  invasion  of 
Canada. 

On  the  eleventh  of  September,  1775,  this 
60 


HON.  JOHN  JOSEPH  HENRY, 

REVOLUTIONARY  SOLDIER. 
PRESIDENT  JUDGE  OF  THE  2D  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         61 

little  army  of  eleven  hundred  men  marched 
to  Newberryport,  Mass.,  where  it  embarked 
on  transports  and  proceeded  up  the  Kennebec 
River  as  far  as  Fort  Western.  Here  it  fol 
lowed  the  Indian  trails  northward,  blazing 
its  way  through  an  almost  impenetrable  wil 
derness  and  encountering  incredible  hardships. 
The  weather  was  piercingly  cold  and  the  cloth 
ing  of  the  men  afforded  no  protection  against 
the  rigors  of  a  Canadian  winter.  Henry's  in 
ventory  of  his  scanty  outfit,  which  was  better 
than  most,  is  almost  grotesque  in  its  meagre- 
ness: 

"  It  consisted  of  a  round-about  jacket  of  wool,  a 
pair  of  half-worn  buckskin  breeches,  two  pairs 
woolen  stockings,  a  hat  with  a  feather,  a  hunting 
shirt,  deer  skin  leggings,  a  pair  of  moccasins  and  a 
pair  of  tolerably  good  shoes  which  had  been  closely 
horded." 

Many  died  from  exposure,  and  one  third  of 
the  command  under  Colonel  Enos  deserted 
under  the  pretence  of  a  lack  of  provisions. 
Henry  was  among  those  who  dropped  from 
the  ranks  exhausted,  and  in  recalling  this  in 
cident,  writes:  "  As  I  sank  by  the  roadside, 
Arnold,  who  was  riding  in  the  rear  of  the 


62         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

army,  approached  me,  and  having  ascertained 
my  condition — he  knew  my  name  and  char 
acter — dismounted,  ran  to  the  riverside  and 
hailed  the  owner  of  a  house  which  stood  on 
the  opposite  bank.  The  good  Canadian  in 
his  canoe  quickly  arrived  and  at  Arnold's  re 
quest  took  me  to  his  home,  where  after  three 
days  of  generous  treatment  I  recuperated  suf 
ficiently  to  rejoin  the  army;"  but  not  before 
Henry  had  tried  in  vain  to  prevail  upon  his 
benefactor  to  accept  two  silver  dollars,  the 
last  of  his  little  horde.23 

On  the  fourteenth  of  November  the  rem 
nant  of  the  army  emerged  from  the  wilder 
ness  and  encamped  under  the  walls  of  Que 
bec,  where  it  was  subsequently  joined  by  the 
forces  under  Montgomery,  who  took  com 
mand  in  the  investment  of  the  city. 

What  followed  is  known  to  every  student 
of  American  history.  Through  a  series  of 
unaccountable  blunders,  at  the  very  moment 
when  victory  seemed  assured,  the  expedition 
suffered  a  disastrous  defeat. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  December  31, 

23  Henry  mentions  meeting  Aaron  Burr  on  the  march, 
who  was  a  "  cadet "  on  Arnold's  staff.  Burr  was  then 
about  twenty-one  years  of  age. 


THE  MONASTERY  OF  ST.  FRANCIS,  QUEBEC, 

WHERE  JOHN  JOSEPH    HENRY  WAS  CONFINED. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         63 

1775,  in  the  midst  of  a  driving  snow  storm 
an  attempt  was  made  to  carry  the  city  by  as 
sault.  Leading  an  attack  on  the  first  barrier 
the  gallant  Montgomery  fell  mortally 
wounded  and  "  after  a  display  of  the  greatest 
valor,"  nine  hundred  Americans  were  made 
prisoners,  young  Henry  among  them. 

They  were  confined  in  the  ruined  monastery 
of  St.  Francis,  an  enormous  building  quite  un- 
suited  to  the  purpose,  which  is  still  pointed  out 
as  the  American  prison. 

The  horrors  of  that  winter  are  graphically 
told  by  Henry  in  his  account  of  the  campaign. 
Here  for  nine  months  they  suffered  from  inad 
equate  protection  from  the  biting  weather,  as 
many  of  the  rooms  were  without  heat.  Con 
taminated  water  and  insufficient  and  improper 
food  were  additional  factors  that  soon  caused 
an  outbreak  of  scurvy  to  which  Henry  was 
one  of  the  first  to  succumb.  Happily  it  can 
not  be  charged  that  these  conditions  were  the 
result  of  design,  but  to  a  want  of  preparation 
and  to  some  indifference. 

As  a  prisoner  Henry  apparently  fared 
better  than  his  companions.  His  disposition 
was  generous,  his  manner  frank  and  engaging 
and  he  had  the  happy  faculty  of  making 


64         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

friends.  His  youth  and  unfortunate  plight 
excited  the  commisseration  of  the  comman 
dant,  General  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  and  in  Col. 
McDougal  he  discovered  a  friend  whom  he 
had  met  at  his  uncle's  house  in  Detroit  three 
years  before,  whose  kindness  helped  to  ameli 
orate  the  hardships  of  his  confinement.  Cap 
tain  Prentice,  who  was  in  direct  charge  of  the 
prisoners,  was  another  from  whom  he  re 
ceived  attentions  that  seemed  prompted  al 
most  by  affection. 

After  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  escape  by 
a  group  of  officers  and  including  Henry,  the 
offenders  were  ordered  to  be  manacled. 
When  it  came  to  Henry's  turn  to  have  the 
irons  riveted  by  the  blacksmith  Captain  Pren 
tice  called  out :  "  Never  mind  that  lad."  He 
repeatedly  pressed  Henry  to  accept  loans  of 
money,  offering  to  wait  for  repayment  until  he 
returned  to  his  home,  which,  although  the 
temptation  was  great,  were  gratefully  de 
clined. 

Early  in  August,  1776,  Captain  Prentice 
brought  the  welcome  news  that  General  Carle- 
ton  had  determined  to  send  them  by  sea  to 
New  York,  under  parole,  for  exchange.  Be 
fore  their  departure  Captain  Prentice  ob- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         65 

tained  permission  for  Henry  and  his  friend 
Boyd24  to  revisit  the  scene  of  their  disastrous 
assault. 

On  August  10  they  set  sail  in  five  trans 
ports,  convoyed  by  H.  M.  Frigate  "  Pearl," 
Captain  McKenzie,25  and  after  an  unevent 
ful  voyage,  arrived  in  New  York  Bay,  Sep 
tember  u,  anchored  three  miles  south  of 
Governor's  Island,  and  witnessed  the  partial 
destruction  of  the  city  by  fire.  Here  they  ex 
perienced  a  vexatious  detention  of  several 
weeks  on  shipboard,  from  which  they  were 
not  released  until  October  i,  when  they  were 
transferred  to  shallops,  and  after  a  dangerous 
pull  across  the  bay  of  ten  hours  landed  at 
Elizabethport,  N.  J.,  within  the  American 
lines.  Words  are  incapable  of  describing 

24  Boyd  returned  to  the  army,  rose  to  the  rank  of  Captain, 
and  took  part  in  Sullivan's  Campaign  against  the  Indians 
in  1779.     Sent  in  advance  with  a  reconnoitering  party,  they 
were    ambushed.     Boyd    was    taken    prisoner,    put    to   the 
torture,  his  body  horribly  mutilated,  and  in  that  condition 
forced  to  run  the  gauntlet  before  death  came  to  his  relief. 
His    remains,   which   were   scattered   over    a    considerable 
area,  were  recovered  and  buried  the  day  after  the  affair. 

25  Henry  met  Captain  McKenzie's  son,  who  was  a  British 
officer,    in    Quebec   when   he   was    a   prisoner.     They   met 
again,    which   happened    to   be    in    Lancaster,    where    the 
fortunes  of  war  had  made  McKenzie  a  prisoner. 


66         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

their  manifestations  of  joy  at  their  restora 
tion  to  liberty.  Many  threw  themselves  upon 
the  earth  and  wept ! 

Walking  through  the  town  Henry,  who 
was  penniless,  was  recognized  by  a  wagoner 
from  Lancaster,  who  informed  him  that  his 
parents  had  abandoned  all  hope  of  ever  seeing 
him  and  from  whom  he  accepted  an  unsoli 
cited  loan  of  two  silver  dollars.  This  god 
send  enabled  him  to  join  his  companions, 
Colonel  Nichols  and  Colonel  Febiger,  in  char 
tering  a  wagon  that  took  them  as  far  as 
Princeton,  where  they  had  the  pleasure  of  call 
ing  on  the  eminent  patriot  and  divine,  Dr. 
Witherspoon,  who  entertained  them. 

The  next  morning,  finding  it  impossible  to 
procure  a  conveyance,  they  managed  though 
suffering  much  physical  distress,  to  walk  to 
Bristol,  where  they  persuaded  a  farmer  who 
had  given  them  an  excellent  supper,  to  drive 
them  to  Philadelphia,  arriving  about  two  in 
the  morning,  and  put  up  at  the  "  Crown  and 
Harp."  Here  they  were  among  friends. 
With  funds  supplied  by  his  kinsman,  Mr. 
Owen  Biddle,  one  of  the  Supreme  Council  of 
Safety,  Henry  exchanged  his  well-worn  buck 
skin  leggings  and  moccasins  for  a  civilian's 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         67 

dress,  the  same  day  set  off  in  the  stage  for 
Lancaster,  and  a  day  later  was  restored  to  the 
much  needed  care  of  his  mother,  after  a  year 
of  almost  continuous  suffering. 

Immediately  upon  his  return  he  was  in 
formed  of  his  appointment  to  a  lieutenancy 
in  the  army  as  a  tribute  of  his  heroism,  fol 
lowed  soon  after  by  an  offer  of  a  captaincy  in 
the  Virginia  Line,  through  the  influence  of  the 
gallant  Colonel  John  Morgan,26  whose  sol 
dierly  qualities  Henry  emulated.  Both  prof 
fers  of  a  military  life  had  to  be  declined.  His 
wound,  which  had  impaired  the  use  of  one  of 
his  legs  so  that  he  walked  with  a  perceptible 
limp  until  his  death,  made  the  acceptance  of 
either  impossible.  This  was  a  staggering 
blow  to  all  his  hopes,  and  in  his  hours  of 
suffering  and  despondency,  self-destruction 
seemed  to  offer  the  only  panacea.  He  was  in 
the  heydey  of  youth,  in  spirit  chivalric,  in 
temperament  a  soldier,  believing  that  fame 
awaited  him  in  a  military  career. 

Although  it  may  be  said  that  he  regained 

26  At  seventeen,  Morgan  was  a  wagoner  in  Braddock's 
army.  Commanded  a  battalion  of  riflemen  in  Arnold's 
Quebec  Expedition,  was  taken  prisoner,  rose  to  the  rank 
of  Brigadier  General  and  elected  to  Congress. 


68         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

his  health  his  recovery  was  slow  and  discour 
aging,  and  he  was  never  afterwards  robust. 

"  He  bound  himself  an  apprentice  to  John  Hubley, 
esq.,  Prothonotary  of  the  county  of  Lancaster,  as  a 
clerk  in  the  office  for  four  years ;  he  pursued  his  busi 
ness  with  the  closest  application,  and  discharged 
the  duties  of  that  office  with  unabated  care  and 
strictness,  and  when  the  labors  of  the  day  were 
over,  his  nights  were  consumed  in  study,  endeavor 
ing  to  make  up  in  some  measure  for  the  neglect  that 
his  education  had  suffered  by  his  becoming  a 
soldier."27 

Entering  the  law  office  of  Stephen  Cham 
bers,  Esq.,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Lancaster 
County  Bar,  whose  younger  sister  he  after 
wards  married,  he  was  admitted  to  practice  in 
1785,  and  raised  to  the  bench  in  1793  by  ap 
pointment  of  Governor  Mifflin,  as  President 
Judge  of  the  Second  Judicial  District  of  Penn 
sylvania,  succeeding  his  father's  friend,  Judge 
Wm.  Atlee,28  his  circuit  consisting  of  the 
Counties  of  Chester,  Lancaster,  York  and 

27 "  A  Biographical  History  of  Lancaster  County;  being 
a  History  of  the  early  Settlers  and  Eminent  Men  of  the 
County,  by  Alexander  Harris,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Elias  Barr 
&  Co.,  1872." 

28  Judge  Atlee  was  the  first  president  judge  of  the  district 
under  the  new  state  government.  Henry  was  the  second. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         69 

Dauphin.  His  wounds  breaking  out  afresh 
he  retired  in  1810  after  serving  seventeen 
years,  and  died  April  15,  1811,  in  his  fifty- 
second  year,  a  beloved  and  honored  gen 
tleman. 

The  only  authentic  account,29  indeed  the 
only  account  of  Arnold's  memorable  invasion 
of  Canada,  was  given  to  the  world  by  Judge 
Henry  himself,  who  years  after  the  event  re 
told  the  story  at  the  request  of  his  children. 
The  little  volume,  to  which  he  gave  the  title 
uThe  Campaign  against  Quebec"  and  dedi 
cated  to  his  daughter,  was  written  with  the 
aid  of  notes  and  memoranda  while  confined 
to  his  room  with  illness.  It  describes  in  sim 
ple  but  effective  words  the  hardships  and  suf 
ferings  of  the  band  of  heroes  who  traversed 
the  wilderness  of  Maine  from  Cambridge  to 
the  St.  Lawrence  in  the  autumn  of  I775-30 
He  was  never  able  to  revise  the  work,  which 
was  published  by  his  widow  in  1812. 

29  A  new  biography,  some  additional  notes  and  a  good 
index  were    added   to   a   second   edition    prepared   by   his 
grandson,  Aubrey  Henry  Smith,  Esq.,  of  the  Philadelphia 
bar  and  published  in  1876.     Both  are  out  of  print. 

30  Of  this  march  through  the  wilderness  a  British  author 
ity  remarks:   "The   Canadians  viewed   it  with   astonish 
ment,  but  it  served  no  good  purpose,"  which  was   alas! 
too  true. 


70         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Of  Henry's  account  Justin  H.  Smith 
writes : 

"  A  good  many  reports  of  the  march  have  come  to 
us  from  members  of  the  expedition,  besides  various 
items  and  scraps  from  participants  who  did  not 
write  full  accounts.  Of  all  our  first  hand  reports 
the  one  most  commonly  known  and  relied  upon  by 
those  who  have  written  on  the  subject  is  probably 
that  of  John  Joseph  Henry,  one  of  the  riflemen, 
who  became  in  later  life  President  of  the  Second 
Judicial  District  of  Pennsylvania.31  There  are  suffi 
cient  reasons  for  the  vogue  of  this  narrative.  It  is 
much  more  readable  than  most  of  them:  it  was 
published  in  book  form  as  early  as  1812,  while  few 
of  the  others  got  into  print  until  many  years  later, 
or  have  ever  come  before  the  general  public,  and 
finally,  the  high  character  and  standing  of  the  author 
seemed  to  place  the  seal  of  truth  upon  its  face."32 

31  Judge  Henry's  son,  Dr.  Stephen  Chambers  Henry  of 
Detroit,  Michigan,  served  as  surgeon  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  was  made  prisoner  at  Hull's  surrender  of  Detroit. 
He  was  eminent  as  a  physician  and  filled  many  offices  of 
honor  and  trust. 

82  "  Arnold's  March  from  Cambridge  to  Quebec,"  by  Jus 
tin  H.  Smith,  pp.  24-25. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CIVIL  AND  MILITARY  APPOINTMENTS,  AU 
THORIZED  TO  MANUFACTURE  ARMS  FOR 
THE  CONTINENTAL  ARMY;  ENTERTAINS 
JOHN  HART,  DAVID  RITTENHOUSE  AND 
THOMAS  PAINE  DURING  BRITISH  OCCU 
PATION  OF  PHILADELPHIA. 

OLONEL  HENRY'S  civil  and 
military  appointments  were  many 
and  important.  Indeed  it  is  not 
surprising  that  he  eventually  sank 
under  the  weight  of  their  exactions.  He  was 
first  commissioned  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in 
1758.  At  the  age  of  thirty-six  he  was  As 
sistant  Burgess  of  Lancaster,  an  office  he  filled 
continuously  from  1765  to  1775. 

We  have  already  learned  that  he  was  made 
Canal  Commissioner  in  1771.  In  1774  he 
was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Committee  of 
Observation.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
and  Assistant  Justice  of  the  County  Courts, 
during  1770,  1773  and  1777. 

71 


72         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

In  1776  he  was  sent  to  the  Assembly,  and 
in  1777  was  made  one  of  the  Council  of 
Safety  of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1780  he  was  commissioned  President 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  Quar 
ter  Sessions  and  Orphans'  Court  under  the 
act  of  January  28,  1777,  and  in  the  same  year 
he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  commission 
that  met  in  Philadelphia  in  January  to  regu 
late  prices  under  the  call  of  the  meeting  at 
Hartford  of  October  20,  1775. 

He  became  Treasurer  of  Lancaster  County 
in  1777,  for  which  he  was  unusually  well 
qualified,  and  held  that  office  until  his  death 
in  1785,  the  most  critical  years  in  its  financial 
history.  His  noteworthy  administration  of 
its  affairs  was  certainly  not  undertaken  for  its 
emoluments,  which  were  never  compensatory 
nor  commensurate  with  its  responsibilities, 
which  the  emergency  had  vastly  expanded, 
covering  as  we  shall  learn,  a  wide  field.  In 
one  of  his  letters  to  the  Hon.  Joseph  Reed  he 
mentions  that  his  salary  as  Treasurer  (£25 
per  annum)  would  hardly  cover  the  expenses 
of  two  journeys  to  Philadelphia.  Evidently 
he  did  not  consider  the  salary  important,  as 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         73 

the  County  Records  show  that  he  permitted  it 
to  accumulate  for  six  years,  from  1779  to 
1784,  and  then  drew  it  in  a  lump  sum. 

His  civil  appointments  terminated  with  his 
election  by  the  Assembly  to  the  Congress  of 
1784-85-86. 

His  military  career  dates  from  the  begin 
ning  of  the  struggle,  with  the  appointment  of 
Assistant  Commissary  General  and  disbursing 
officer  of  the  government  for  the  District  of 
Lancaster,  where  extensive  orders  for  supplies 
were  placed  with  the  people  of  the  surround 
ing  country;  and  in  a  larger  sense  was  the 
trusted  and  confidential  adviser  of  the  Board 
of  War  and  the  civil  authorities  in  matters 
pertaining  to  the  maintenance  of  the  army  and 
the  welfare  of  the  State. 

From  a  careful  examination  of  his  volumi 
nous  and  hitherto  unpublished  correspondence 
with  the  Board  of  War,  the  State  officials  and 
the  generals  of  the  army,  the  pervading  senti 
ment  on  his  part  is  that  of  unswerving  patriot 
ism,  and  on  theirs  of  unqualified  confidence  in 
his  sagacity  and  executive  ability. 

There  are  letters  from  Washington,  Gates, 
Wayne,  Hazen,  "  Lighthorse  "  Harry  Lee, 


74         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Timothy  Pickering  and  Benjamin  Stoddart, 
setting  forth  the  vital  necessities  of  the  army 
and  soliciting  his  cooperation.  There  are 
others  from  the  Board  of  War  dating  almost 
from  the  discharge  of  the  first  gun  in  the  con 
flict  and  ending  only  with  the  declaration  of 
peace,  all  f rought  with  historical  interest ;  and 
those  from  the  Honorable  Joseph  Reed  throw 
additional  light  on  the  actions  of  that  ma 
ligned,  but  patriotic  statesman. 

"  All  through  the  Revolution  Henry  was  very  ac 
tive  on  the  side  of  the  Colonies,  and  his  correspond 
ence  in  1779,  as  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the 
Supply  and  Regulation  of  the  Flour  market,  shows 
him  to  have  been  a  good  writer  and  a  shrewd  prac 
tical  business  man."33 

As  Assistant  Commissary  General  and  fiscal 
agent  he  was  clothed  with  large  discretionary 
powers  quite  apart  from  the  routine  duties  of 
his  office.  Among  his  multifarious  responsi 
bilities  he  engaged  transportation  and  supplies 
of  every  description,  and  the  arming  of  the 
troops. 

33  From  Harris,  "  Biographical  History  of  Lancaster 
County,  Pennsylvania." 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         75 

Thus,  as  soon  as  the  startling  intelligence 
reached  Philadelphia  that  the  British  fleet 
with  General  Howe's  army  on  board  was 
sighted  off  the  Delaware  Capes,  Thomas 
Wharton,  Jr.,  president  of  the  Board  of  War, 
despatched  the  following  letter  to  William 
Henry : 

PHILADELPHIA — 
IN  COUNCIL,  July  31,  1777. 
Gentlemen: 

I  have  received  certain  intelligence  that  the 
Enemy's  Ships  to  the  number  of  two  hundred  and 
twenty  sail  was  seen  within  a  few  Leagues  of  the 
light  house34  yesterday  about  ten  o'clock,  and  it  was 
expected  they  would  get  into  the  Cape  in  the  after 
noon.  Since  that  time  the  wind  has  been  very 
favorable  for  them.  It  becomes  now  absolutely 
necessary  for  us  to  be  on  our  guard  and  to  do  all 
we  can  to  oppose  the  Enemy,  but  put  it  out  of  their 
power  to  distress  the  good  people  of  the  State.  I 
therefore  request  that  you  will  immediately  order 
six  hundred  and  eleven  wagons  out  of  your  County 
to  repair  to  this  City,  for  the  purpose  of  removing 
stores,  provisions,  etc,  etc.  As  you  value  the  inter 
est,  happiness  and  peace  of  your  Country,  I  entreat 

34  Cape  Henlopen  Light,  built  by  the  British  government 
in  Queen  Anne's  reign  and  still  in  use. 


76         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

you  to  exert  yourselves  in  this  matter,  and  forward 
them  as  fast  as  possible  without  waiting  for  any 
particular  number  to  come  together. 
I  am  with  respect  gentlemen 
Your  very  humble  servant 

THOMAS  WHARTON 

President. 
To 

William  Henry,  Esq. 
and  others,  the  Magistrates 
of  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania. 

Having  ascertained  that  Howe's  demon 
stration  was  in  the  nature  of  a  feint,  President 
Wharton  countermanded  the  order  for  the 
wagons  one  week  afterwards. 

IN  COUNCIL,  PHILADELPHIA,  August  7,  1777. 
Gentlemen: — 

The  fleet  of  the  enemy  not  having  made  its  ap 
pearance  at  our  Cape  since  Thursday  evening  last, 
it  is  doubtful  whether  the  wagons  ordered  from 
your  County  will  be  wanted,  and  as  the  expense  will 
be  enormous,  you  are  therefore  hereby  directed  to 
stop  the  wagons  from  coming  down  until  further 
orders.  You  will  please  give  notice  to  the  Service 
Wagon  Masters  in  your  County  (by  express,  if 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         77 

necessary)   of  this  order  that  it  may  be  effectually 
complied  with. 

I  am  with  respect  gentlemen 
Your  very  Humble  Servant, 
THOMAS  WHARTON,  President. 

To 

William  Henry,  Esq. 
and  others,  Judiciary  of 
the  County  of  Lancaster. 

A  British  account  of  this  manouvre  states 
that  when  Howe  reached  the  capes  he  was 
informed  that  the  obstructions  in  the  Dela 
ware  were  impassable,  whereupon  he  adroitly 
headed  for  the  Chesapeake,  which  he  ascended 
after  many  difficulties  as  far  as  the  head  of 
Elk  River. 

On  September  6,  1777,  news  of  his  ap 
proach  was  communicated  to  Colonel  Henry 
by  President  Wharton  of  the  Board  of  War. 
In  the  same  letter  he  was  notified  that  by 
resolution  of  the  board  he  had  been  au 
thorized  to  manufacture  arms  for  the  colonial 
troops  and  was  directed  to  proceed  with  the 
work  at  once. 


78         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

PHILADELPHIA,  Sept.  6,  1777. 
Sir: 

Council  passed  a  Resolve  the  22d  ult.  which  is 
here  enclosed,  and  I  must  beg  your  particular  atten 
tion  to  it.  I  intended  the  day  after  the  Resolve  was 
passed  to  have  set  off  for  Lancaster  in  company  with 
Mr.  Hubley,  and  expected  to  have  had  the  pleasure 
to  deliver  you  the  Resolve  myself,  but  the  appear 
ance  of  the  Enemy,  in  the  Bay  of  Chesapeak  pre 
vented  and  I  really  forgot  it  until  this  minute. 
Very  likely  Mr.  Hubley  mentioned  it.  If  he  did, 
I  hope  you  made  a  beginning  to  employ  workman 
to  make  arms. 

I  am  with  great  respect, 
Sir,  your  very  Humble 
Servant, 

THO.  WHARTON,  Jun. 
President  of  the  Board  of  War. 
W.  Henry,  esq. 

Anticipating  Howe's  obvious  movement 
against  Philadelphia  the  Congress  which  sat 
there  adjourned  to  meet  in  Lancaster  on  Sep 
tember  27.  In  the  meantime  Howe  crossed 
the  peninsula,  and  on  the  eleventh  of  Septem 
ber  met  and  repulsed  Washington  at  the 
Brandywine,  who  had  hurried  across  the  Jer 
seys  for  the  protection  of  Philadelphia. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         79 

As  the  loss  of  this  battle  meant  the  loss  of 
Philadelphia,  the  British  without  much  fur 
ther  opposition  entered  the  city  on  September 
26,  and  on  the  next  day  Washington,  who 
had  retired  to  Pennypacker's  Mills,  thirty 
miles  northwest  of  the  city,  sent  the  following 
letter  to  Colonel  Henry  authorizing  the  im 
pressment  of  supplies  of  all  kinds  for  his 
needy  troops. 

Sir: 

You  are  hereby  authorized  to  impress  all  the 
Blankets,  Shoes,  Stockings,  and  other  Articles  of 
Clothing  that  can  be  spared  by  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  County  of  Lancaster  for  the  use  of  the  Conti 
nental  Army,  paying  for  the  same  at  Reasonable 
rates  or  giving  Certificates. 

Given  at  Camp  at  Pennypacker's  Mill,  this  27th 
day  of  Sept.,  1777. 

CEO.  WASHINGTON.35 

To  William  Henry,  Esq.,  Lancaster. 

As  previously  arranged,  the  Congress  reas 
sembled  in  Lancaster  on  the  twenty-seventh  of 
September,  the  Board  of  War,  the  State  Gov 
ernment  and  the  Treasury  having  preceded  it, 

35  From  the  "  Henry  Collection,"  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania. 


8o         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

and  on  the  same  day  for  prudential  reasons 
the  Congress,  Howe  having  threatened  Lan 
caster,  adjourned  to  meet  in  York,  Pa. 

Among  those  who  sought  a  domicile  in  Lan 
caster  during  the  British  occupation  of  Phila 
delphia  were  David  Rittenhouse,  the  eminent 
astronomer  and  physicist,  Treasurer  of  the 
State,  and  Mrs.  Rittenhouse;  John  Hart,  a 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress  and 
signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  Thomas  Paine,  the  political  essayist, 
all  of  whom  were  for  a  considerable  time 
guests  of  Mr.  Henry,  who  entertained  them 
from  a  patriotic  sense  of  duty.  Rittenhouse, 
however,  who  was  his  warm  personal  friend 
remained  until  the  evacuation  of  the  city  in  the 
summer  of  1778. 

Of  this  visit  Rittenhouse  writes : 

"  While  we  continued  in  the  Borough  of  Lancaster 
we  made  our  home  at  the  house  of  William  Henry, 
at  that  time  Treasurer  of  the  rich  and  populous 
County  of  the  same  name,  a  situation  helpful  to  my 
office  with  its  connection  to  that  of  the  County 
Treasury,  and  one  which  was  also  the  more  agree 
able  by  reason  of  Mr.  Henry's  being  a  person  of 
very  considerable  mechanical  ingenuity." 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         81 

John  Joseph  Henry  in  his  "  Reminiscences  " 
also  refers  to  this  visit: 

"  My  greatest  recreation  in  my  distressed  condi 
tion  [he  was  recovering  from  the  effects  of  his  im 
prisonment  of  nine  months  in  Quebec]  was  to  get 
into  the  chamber  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  whose  con 
versation  enlivened  my  mind,  for  he  was  most 
affable." 


CHAPTER  X. 

THOMAS  PAINE. 

HE  addition  of  Paine  to  Colonel 
Henry's  family  circle  was  unfortu 
nate.  His  indolent  and  intem 
perate  habits  were  not  the  qualities 
that  go  to  make  a  desirable  guest.  More 
over,  he  made  no  secret  of  his  deistical  opin 
ions  and  these  Mrs.  Henry,  who  was  a  de 
vout  Christian,  strongly  combated.  Finally 
his  presence  became  so  intolerable  that  she 
appealed  to  her  husband,  for  the  sake  of 
his  children,  who  were  unavoidably  present 
at  the  discussions  and  witnessed  Paine's  idio 
syncrasies,  to  request  him  to  withdraw.  To 
this  Colonel  Henry  was  at  first  disinclined  to 
accede.  He  recognized  the  marvelous  in 
fluence  Paine's  patriotic  essays  had  upon  the 
public  mind  and  was  averse  to  any  act  that 
might  interrupt  the  efforts  of  his  pen.  The 
fifth  number  of  his  "  Crisis  "  was  commenced 
at  Henry's  house,  and  we  have  authority  for 
the  statement  that  Paine  took  three  months  in 
its  preparation. 

82 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         83 

We  are  quoting  substantially  from  the  ex 
tremely  interesting  "Reminiscences"  of  John 
Joseph  Henry  written  in  1809,  and,  as  afford 
ing  a  character  study  at  close  range,  we  shall 
now  quote  Judge  Henry's  own  words,  cover 
ing  the  period  when  Paine  was  his  father's 
guest.  It  must  be  remembered,  in  explana 
tion  of  his  unreserved  criticisms,  that  his 
"  Reminiscences  "  are  addressed  to  his  chil 
dren  and  were  not  written  for  publication. 

"  I  knew  Paine  well  and  that  personally,  for  he 
was  a  guest  in  the  house  of  my  father  when  Generals 
Howe  and  Clinton  were  in  Philadelphia.  When 
my  wound  had  so  far  mended  in  1778  as  to  permit 
my  hobbling  about  on  crutches,  I  would  sometimes 
go  to  Paine's  room  and  sit  with  him,  as  I  often  did 
with  Rittenhouse.  I  found  Paine  a  man  afflicted 
with  a  supercilious  pride,  and  an  imaginary  impor 
tance  which  made  his  society  undesirable.  He  was 
of  that  class  who,  with  a  small  amount  of  learning 
domineered  as  if  he  were  a  Johnson.  It  was  his 
daily  habit  to  take  a  walk  in  the  morning  until 
twelve,  make  an  inordinate  dinner  after  which  he 
would  retire  to  his  chamber  and  take  a  nap  of  several 
hours  in  a  big  arm  chair  wrapped  in  a  blanket,  with 
a  bottle  of  spirits  and  a  tumbler  within  easy  reach  of 
his  hand.  His  indolence  was  amazing.  His  manu- 


84         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

script  lay  upon  the  table  covered  with  dust.  To-day 
a  few  lines  would  be  added,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
week  a  dozen  more,  and  so  on.  His  "  Crisis  "  was 
dated  March  21,  1778,  and,  although  a  short  politi 
cal  paper,  was  not  published  until  three  months  later. 
His  essays  were  not,  as  you  might  suppose,  the  spon 
taneous  outburst  of  an  elevated  patriotic  spirit,  and 
one  at  least  of  his  acts,  while  in  the  government 
service,  approached  dangerously  near  the  border  line 
of  treason.  It  is  true  Generals  Washington,  Gates, 
and  Greene  acknowledged  the  patriotic  sentiment 
aroused  by  his  publications,  and  wrote  commendatory 
letters,  but  they  had  no  personal  knowledge  of  the 
writer,  and  were  ignorant  of  his  infirmities.  He  had 
been  appointed  by  Congress  to  inspire  the  people 
through  his  essays  with  a  feeling  of  indignation 
against  the  despotism  of  the  King  and  his  ministry, 
and  was  successful,  and  was  rewarded  for  this  ser 
vice  by  the  appointment  of  Secretary  of  Foreign 
Affairs.  This  office  he  treated  as  a  sinecure.  He 
never  went  to  York,  where  Congress  then  sat,  except 
occasionally,  and  staid  for  a  day  or  two.  He  failed 
to  understand  what  was  meant  by  a  conscientious 
performance  of  duty,  and  his  utter  disregard  of  the 
common  decencies  of  life  estranged  his  associates, 
among  them  the  late  David  Rittenhouse,  one  of  the 
best  of  men,  Treasurer  of  the  State ;  the  Hon.  George 
Bryan,  vice-president  of  the  Council  and  a  man  of 
great  learning;  Jonathan  Sergeant,  Attorney  Gen- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         85 

eral  of  Pennsylvania,  and  your  grandfather,  and 
many  other  gentlemen  of  character  during  '77,  '78 
and  '79." 

Judge  Henry  continues : 

"  He  made  friends  but  could  not  retain  them  and 
as  showing  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by 
his  contemporaries,  I  give  the  following  story  of  an 
encounter  with  Paine,  which  I  heard  from  Colonel 
Samuel  John  Atlee,  one  of  the  participants — an  emi 
nent  patiot  and  a  man  of  note  among  us — a  short 
time  after  it  happened. 

"  Clothier-General  Mease,  of  Philadelphia,  had 
invited  a  number  of  gentlemen  of  the  army  to  dine 
with  him  in  the  city,  among  whom  were  General 
Francis  Nichols,  Colonel  Atlee,  Colonel  Francis 
Johnson  and  several  members  of  the  Legislature,  of 
whom  was  Matthias  Slough,  of  Lancaster.  All  the 
gentlemen  heartily  approved  of  Paine's  political 
essays,  for  they  were  to  a  man  good  Whigs,  but  his 
general  bearing  inspired  a  feeling  of  repugnance. 

"As  you  may  readily  suppose,  the  excellent  wine 
of  General  Mease  exhilarated  the  company.  When 
returning  to  their  lodgings  Colonel  Atlee  observed 
Paine  coming  towards  them  down  Market  Street. 
'  There  comes  "  Common  Sense,"  '  says  Atlee  to  the 
company.  '  D — n  him,'  says  Slough,  '  I'll  "  Com 
mon  Sense  "  him.'  As  he  approached  the  party  they 


86         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

took  the  wall.  Slough  tripped  him  and  threw  him 
into  the  gutter. 

"  You  may  think  this  act  cruel  and  unnecessary, 
yet  these  men  were  some  of  the  most  eminent  in  the 
State,  who  staked  their  all  on  the  issue  of  the  war. 

"  Do  not  permit  anything  I  have  said  to  lead  you 
to  undervalue  the  sagacity  of  your  grandfather,  for 
he  was  wise  but  of  so  benevolent  a  mind  that  in  the 
common  affairs  of  life  he  held  this  principle  as  true : 
'  You  should  consider  everyone  as  possessing  probity 
until  you  discover  him  to  be  otherwise.' 

"From  these  observations  you  will  readily  per 
ceive  how  easy  it  was  to  impose  upon  my  father. 
This  explains  why  he  continued  to  entertain  Paine." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

LANCASTER  IN  1777. 

OLITICAL  conditions  in  Lancas 
ter  at  this  time  (1777),  as  re 
flected  in  the  Journal,  were  much 
disturbed  by  the  incautious  criti 
cisms  of  the  Confederation  and  the  refusal  to 
take  the  oath  on  the  part  of  those  who  sym 
pathized  with  the  Crown;  in  consequence  of 
which  they  were  subjected  to  indignities  and 
in  some  instances  to  imprisonment.  Many 
arrests  were  made  without  process  of  law,  a 
procedure  Col.  Henry  condemned  and  cor 
rected. 

One  of  the  prominent  sympathizers  was  the 
Reverend  Thomas  Barton,  rector  of  St. 
James',  whose  tory  activities  became  so  con 
spicuously  offensive  that  his  arrest  was  deter 
mined  upon  and  its  execution  assigned  to  Col 
onel  Henry  in  the  following  order: 

COL.  JOHN  CAROTHERS  TO  WILLIAM  HENRY,  1777. 

CARLISLE,  Sept.  25th,  1777. 
Sir, 

Two  of  the  Justices  of  this  Country  have   in 
formed  me  that  in  the  Course  of  the  Examination 
87 


88         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

of  a  Witness,  touching  a  Plot  or  Combination  of 
several  People  to  destroy  the  public  Magazines  at 
Lancaster,  York  and  Carlisle,  The  Revd.  Thomas 
Barton  of  Lancr.,  Clerk,  is  named  as  one  at  least 
privy  to  that  conspiracy.  He  is  also  charged  with 
carrying  on  Correspondence  with  the  Enemies  of  this 
State,  and  of  the  United  States  of  America.  I  am 
persuaded  this  intelligence  ought  more  properly  to 
have  been  communicated  to  Bartram  Galbreath,  as 
your  County  Lieut.,  but  lest  he  should  not  be  at 
home,  I  have  been  advised  to  communicate  to  you, 
Sir,  as  one  of  the  Justices  of  Lancaster  County,  tho' 
I  am  not  personally  acquainted  with  you,  I  make 
no  Doubt  but  that  you  will  cause  Mr.  Barton  to  be 
secured  in  such  a  manner  as  your  prudence  shall 
direct,  on  rect,  of  this  letter. 
I  am  Sir, 

Yr  very  Hbls.  Servt., 
JNO.  CAROTHERS,  lieut.  of  C.  C. 

GEORGE  STEVENSON  TO  WILLIAM  HENRY,  1777. 

CARLISLE,  25th  Sepr,  1777. 
Dear  Sir: 

Inclosed  you  will  receive  a  Letter  from  John 
Corrithers,  Sepr,  our  County  Lieut.,  by  which  you 
will  know  that  Mr.  Barton's  name  is  brought  on  the 
Carpet  as  being  privy  to  the  Tory  Plot,  and  cor 
responding  with  our  enemies. 

Mr.  Batwell  is  also  accused  of  being  a  principal 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         89 

Leader.  A  party  of  Militia  have  taken  him,  and  I 
suppose  by  this  Time  he  is  lodged  in  York  Goal.  It 
is  a  Pity  that  men  who  have  been  employ'd  in 
preaching  the  Gospel  of  Peace  should  be  found  en 
gaged  in  such  base  Plots. 

Have  you  done  any  Thing  towards  securing 
David  Copeland,  the  man  I  spoke  of  to  you  at  Lan 
caster  ?  I  wish  he  were  secured ;  he  is  a  material 
Witness — having  been  much  employed  carrying  let 
ters  &  Messages  among  the  Conspirators.  I  shall 
be  glad  to  know  what  you  shall  have  done  in  Con 
sequence  of  Mr.  Carrithers's  Letter. 
I  am  Sr, 

yr  most  Hble  Servt, 

GEO.  STEVENSON. 
Directed, 

To  William  Henry,  Esquire,  Lancaster. 

Favored  by  Col.  Culbertson. 

Although  Colonel  Henry  and  Doctor  Bar 
ton  were  temperamentally  antagonistic  they 
had  long  been  friends,  and  before,  and  for  a 
time  after  his  marriage,  Henry  had  been  one 
of  his  parishioners,  which  made  the  contem 
plation  of  his  arrest  embarrassing  as  well  as 
painful.  The  inference  is,  however,  that  the 
doctor  escaped  the  extreme  penalty  intended 
for  him,  probably  through  the  forbearance  of 


90         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Colonel  Henry,  as  from  the  Journal  we  are 
informed  that  on  October  13,  1778,  having 
disposed  of  his  real  estate  to  his  son-in-law, 
Zanzinger,  he  was  permitted  to  leave  with 
his  wife  for  Boston,  and  thence  to  England. 
From  the  Journal  of  the  same  year  we  are 
also  told  that  when  Lancaster  received  the 
news  of  the  return  of  Mr.  Silas  Deane  from 
France  after  successfully  negotiating  treaties 
of  alliance  and  commerce  with  that  country — 
a  compact  so  vital  in  its  bearing  upon  the 
future  conduct  of  the  war — it  was  acclaimed 
by  the  people  with  every  manifestation  of  ap 
proval.  "  Salutes  were  fired,  and  in  the  even 
ing  an  illumination,  the  expenses  of  which," 
so  the  Journal  reads,  uwere  paid  by  Col. 
Henry  out  of  his  own  pocket."  This  was  one 
of  his  many  acts  to  cheer  the  drooping  spirits 
of  the  people  and  to  keep  alive  the  embers  of 
patriotism. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ARMS  FOR  THE  TROOPS  THE  CRYING  NEED 
OF  THE  HOUR. 

ROM  the  following  letters  covering 
the  years  i777-'7S-'79  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  crying  need  of  the 
hour,  and  one  which  threatened 
serious  consequences  if  not  promptly  met,  was 
an  adequate  supply  of  arms  for  the  troops 
impatiently  waiting  to  take  the  field,  or  to  re 
place  weapons  lost  or  destroyed  in  action. 
To  meet  this  demand,  which  was  pressing 
from  every  quarter,  Henry's  gun  works  lo 
cated  on  Mill  Creek,  outside  the  Borough  of 
Lancaster,  where  what  is  known  today  as  the 
"  Old  Factory  Road"  crosses  that  stream, 
and  the  best  equipped  in  the  colonies,  were 
working  night  and  day  to  their  utmost  capa 
city,  and  the  Board  of  War,  realizing  the 
gravity  of  the  situation  and  the  importance  of 
keeping  his  works  in  uninterrupted  operation, 
exempted  his  workmen  from  liability  to  mili 
tary  duty. 

91 


92         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

FROM    RICHARD    PETERS,    SECRETARY   BOARD   OF 
WAR,  TO  WILLIAM  HENRY. 

WAR  OFFICE 

YORK,  Novr.  7,  1777. 
Sir: 

The  Board  have  sent  an  order  to  the  Command 
ing  Officer  at  Lancaster  to  Collect  from  the  militia 
returning  all  Continental  Arms  and  Necessaries. 
As  the  Virginia  Militia  are  returning  from  Camp 
I  have  to  request  your  assistance  in  getting  back  any 
arms  furnished  them  at  Lancaster,  if  they  should  be 
carrying  them  home.  Perhaps  as  the  General 
(Washington)  may  not  have  attended  to  this  matter 
they  may  not,  as  they  ought  to  do,  have  deposited 
their  Arms  at  Camp.. 

I  am  your  obt.  Servt., 

RICHARD  PETERS 
Secretary  Board  of  War. 
William  Henry,  Esq. 

FROM     "  LIGHT    HORSE  "     HARRY    LEE    DATED 

CHARLESTON,  VIRGINIA,  WHO  is  CHAFING  TO 

GET  INTO  THE  SADDLE. 

CHARLESTON,  February  8,  1778. 
Dear  Sir:— 

I  am  exceedingly  anxious  to  join  the  army.  We 
wait  for  nothing  but  carbines.  Be  pleased  to  send 
per  bearer  such  as  may  be  ready  and  expedite  the 
completion  of  the  remainder  engaged. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         93 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  Sir  with  highest  esteem 
your  most  obedient  and  most  humble  servant. 
William  Henry,  Esq.  HARRY  LEE 

GENERAL  HORATIO  GATES  PRESIDENT  OF  THE 
BOARD  OF  WAR  TO  COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY, 
IN  WHICH  His  PRESENCE  is  REQUESTED  IN 
YORK,  WHERE  THE  CONGRESS  AND  THE  BOARD 
OF  WAR  WERE  ASSEMBLED. 

WAR  OFFICE,   i3th  April  1778. 

Sir:— 

The   board   of  War   request  you   will   come   to 

York,  as  soon  as  the  business  you  are  engaged  in 

will  permit,  and  they  desire  you  will  tell  me,  by 

return  of  the  Bearer,  when  we  may  expect  to  see 

you. 

HORATIO  GATES,  President. 

William   Henry,   Esq. 

FROM  GENERAL  ANTHONY  WAYNE,  AT  VALLEY 
FORGE,  TO  COLONEL  HENRY,  PROTESTING 
AGAINST  AN  ORDER  OF  THE  SUPREME  EXECU 
TIVE  COUNCIL  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  TO  TRANSFER 
ARMS  INTENDED  FOR  His  DIVISION,  TO  THE 
MILITIA. 

CAMP  MOUNT  JOY 

I4th  May  1778. 
Dear  Sir:— 

Col.   Bayard  informs  me  that  after  having  the 
Arms,    Bayonets   &c.,   prepared   to   send   to   Camp 


94         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

which  was  furnished  for  the  use  of  my  Division  by 
you,  they  were  stoped  by  order  of  the  Council  for 
the  use  of  the  Militia  in  case  they  should  be  called 
out — and  that  they  can't  be  forwarded  unless  his 
Excellency  gives  a  particular  order  for  it.  I  wish 
you  to  Advert  to  the  Return  &  order  from  the  Board 
of  War — and  from  His  Excellency  Gen'l  Washing 
ton  thro'  me  for  a  Certain  number  of  Arms,  Bayo 
nets  and  Accoutrements  for  the  use  of  my  Division 
— this  will  certainly  justify  you  in  furnishing  them 
in  preference  to  any  other  order  from  any  other 
person  whatever. 

I  communicated  the  contents  of  Col.  Bayard's 
letter  this  morning  to  His  Excellency  who  expressed 
just  surprise  at  the  order  not  being  complied  with 
and  ordered  me  to  Request  you  to  forward  those 
articles  together  with  the  Espontoons  with  all 
possible  Dispatch.  Col.  Bayard  will  present  you 
with  another  order  from  the  Adjt  General  for  an 
additional  number  of  articles  which  I  wish  you  to 
furnish  the  Soonest  possible  as  we  have  numbers  of 
men  that  can't  take  the  field  without  them. 
Interim  I  am  Dear  Sir 

Your  Most  Obt 

Hum.  St. 
ANTY.  WAYNE  B.  G. 

Wm.  Henry,  Esq., 
Lancaster. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         95 

Wayne,  whose  impetuous  temperament 
would  not  permit  him  to  submit  calmly  to 
what  he  considered  an  injustice,  invoked  the 
authority  of  Washington,  who,  on  the  same 
day,  sent  the  following  letter  to  Colonel 
Henry,  suggesting  a  plan  to  meet  Wayne's 
requisition. 

CAMP  AT  VALLEY  FORGE, 

May  14,  1778. 
Sir 

I  find  from  a  letter  from  Lieut.  Col.  Bayard  to 
General  Wayne  that  a  parcel  of  arms  to  which  you 
had  made  or  fixed  bayonets  were  retained  by  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  Pennsylvania  because  the 
muskets  belonged  to  the  State.  I  have  written  to 
Governor  Wharton  upon  the  subject  and  have  in 
formed  him  that  if  the  muskets  do  belong  particu 
larly  to  the  State,  you  will  replace  them  with  an 
equal  number  of  Continentals,  many  of  which  you 
have  to  repair,  this  I  desire  you  will  do. 

If  the  espontoons  for  the  officers  are  finished  be 
pleased  to  send  them  down ;  if  they  are  not,  let  them 
be  completed  as  soon  as  possible. 

GEO.  WASHINGTON. 

William  Henry,  Esq. 
Lancaster 


96         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

The  following  letters  from  Richard  Peters, 
Timothy  Pickering,  the  Supreme  Executive 
Council  and  Commissary  Lukens  have  refer 
ence  to  supplying  the  troops  with  arms. 

YORK,  PENNSYLVANIA, 
WAR  OFFICE, 

May  i  gth  1778. 
Sir:— 

You  will  please  to  deliver  to  the  order  of  Hon. 
Council  of  Pennsylvania  one  hundred  Common 
Rifles  (without  Bayonets)  if  you  have  or  can  pro 
cure  that  number  speedily.  A  light  corps  from 
Camp  is  expected  at  Lancaster  and  you  will  keep  in 
view  the  providing  them  with  what  they  want  for 
Frontier  Business.  We  mention  this  as  we  have 
to  the  Council  lest  your  stock  should  be  exhausted 
by  this  order. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

RICHARD  PETERS. 
Secretary  Board  of  War. 

William  Henry  Esq. 

Superintendant  of 
Arms  and  Military  Acoutrements. 
Lancaster. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         97 

FROM  TIMOTHY  PICKERING,  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 
TO  COL.  HENRY. 

WAR  OFFICE, 
YORK,  PA.,  May  26,  1778. 
Sir, 

Major  Lee  informs  us  that  he  has  conversed  with 
you  relative  to  the  manufacture  of  carbines  for  his 
corps.  You  doubted  your  ability  to  undertake  it  at 
this  time  on  account  of  the  multiplicity  of  your 
business.  But  we  are  so  anxious  to  get  this  corps 
equipped,  because  of  the  very  great  advantage  which 
must  result  from  it,  we  cannot  but  express  our  wishes 
that  some  part  of  your  present  business  might  be  for 
a  while  suspended,  and  this  engaged  in.  Major  Lee 
wants  a  hundred  carbines;  but  thirty  furnished  in  a 
short  time  will  enable  him  to  take  the  field.  To 
make  this  last  number  we  desire  you  to  set  some  of 
your  people  at  work  immediately,  for  no  part  of 
your  business  appears  to  us  of  equal  importance. 
The  particular  size  and  construction  you  and  Major 
Lee  will  agree  upon. 

We  are,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servants. 
By  order  of  the  Board 
TIM.  PICKERING  JUN. 

William  Henry,  Esq. 
8 


98         The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

FROM  TIMOTHY  PICKERING,  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 
TO  COLONEL  HENRY. 

WAR  OFFICE,  June  8,  1778. 
Sir:— 

General  Washington  informs  us  that  1700  car 
tridge  boxes  are  wanted  in  his  army  to  furnish  those 
who  are  destitute.  Pray  send  immediately  all  you 
have,  and  set  as  many  hands  at  work  as  possible  in 
making  more. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant 
TIM  PICKERING,  JR. 

Wm.  Henry,  Esq. 

FROM    THE    SUPREME    EXECUTIVE    COUNCIL    TO 
COLONEL  HENRY. 

PHILADELPHIA,  July  15,   1778. 
Sir: 

The  Council  have  ordered  the  Lieutenants  of  the 
counties  of  Lancaster  and  Berks  to  call  on  you  for 
what  arms  may  be  necessary  to  put  into  the  hands 
of  the  militia  now  ordered  into  service  from  these 
Counties,  and  if  arms  cannot  be  had  at  Carlisle,  the 
Lieut's  of  York  &  Cumberland  will  also  apply  to 
you  to  make  up  their  deficiencies.  These  demands 
you  will  please  to  comply  with  as  far  as  may  be  in 
your  power. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.         99 

The  arrangement  for  the  Frontier  defence  is 
Part   of   Col.    Hartley   reg'    now   in 

Philada.  about 100 

Two   Wyoming   Companies    (uncer 
tain)     100 

Militia  from  Lancaster, 400 

Berks,   150 

Northumberland,  ....  300 

To  march  to  Sunbury.  1050 

Part  of  Col.   Hartley's  reg'  now  in 

New  Jersey, 80 

Northampton  Militia, 300 

Berks  "         150 

Col.  Kowatz's  horse, 20 

A  small  comp'y  under  Col.  Butler, .  .     20 

at  Easton 570 

Col.  Broadhead's  regt.  (perhaps),.  .  .   250 

Cumberland  Militia, 300 

York,    200 

750 

A  vigorous  attack  on  New  York  is  determined  on 
while  the  French  fleet  block  up  the  harbor,  and  there 
is  reason  to  hope  for  success  in  the  measure 
Yours 

T.  MATLACK,  Sec'y. 
To  Wm.  Henry,  Esq. 


ioo       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

CARLISLE,  sist,  July  1778. 
Sir.— 

As.  Genl.  Mclntosh  wants  in  his  army  six  hun 
dred  muskets  with  their  Bayonets,  and  as  I  judge 
impracticable  that  such  a  number  can  be  put  in 
order  at  the  time  of  our  departure,  I  pray  you  to 
send  at  Lancaster  to  Mr.  Henry  for  to  have  im 
mediately  3  hundred  muskets  ready,  which  number 
fail  us.  Perhaps  you  know  of  some  other  place  not 
far  off  Carlisle  where  it  is  possible  to  find  some 
muskets  ready  if  Mr.  Henry  cannot  supply  this 
number.  I  pray  you  will  please  do  your  endeavor; 
it  would  be  necessary  the  muskets  be  here  on  Mon 
day  or  Wednesday. 

I   have  the  honor  to  be  Sir, 
Your  most  Obedt.  most  hble  sert. 

LE  CHEVE.  DE  CAMBRAY. 
Major  Lukens. 

To  this  letter  which  was  forwarded  to  Col. 
Henry,  Major  Lukens  adds  the  following 
postscript : — 

(P.  S.  by  Major  Lukens) 

Col.  De  Cambray  is  to  have  the  direction  of 
the  Artillery  in  the  Western  expedition.  He  is  left 


The  Life  of  William  HeAry.       101 


here  by  Gen.  Mclntosh  to  get  all  things  forward 
that  are  necessary  for  the  command. 

CHAS.  LUKENS. 
W.  Henry  Esq. 

FROM     ASSISTANT     COMMISSARY     LUKENS     TO 
COLONEL  HENRY, 

in  which,  among  other  articles,  is  a  Reguisition  for 
Tomahawks  for  Colonel  Brodhead  Commanding  the 
forces  on  the  Pennsylvania  frontier. 

CARLISLE,  Aug.  5,  1778. 
Sir 

Yours  of  the  3d  by  Sergt.  Bradley  came  safe  to 
hand.  Am  very  glad  to  hear  you  have  expectation 
to  send  the  Articles  they  wrote  for.  I  must  again 
Trouble  you;  since  Col.  Brodhead 's  arrival  here  he 
has  desired  that  he  may  be  furnished  as  Speedily  as 
Possible  1500  Powder  Horns  and  Shot  bags  Com- 
pleat,  for  Rifle  men.  The  other  Articles  he  wants 
are  as  follows;  tho'  am  apprehensive  you  have  them 
not;  looo  Small  Hatchets  or  Tomahawks,  15000 
flints,  1500  Canteens  of  wood  or  tin.  The  Powder 
Horns  and  Shot  bags  I  hope  you  can  send,  and  if 
any  of  the  Other  Articles  so  much  the  better. 
I  am  with  Respect 
Your  Humble  Servant 

CHAS  LUKENS 

C.  M.  Stores. 
Wm.  Henry,  Esq. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Is  MADE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  ARMS  AND 
ACCOUTREMENTS,  AND  ASSISTANT  COM 
MISSARY  GENERAL. 

N  addition  to  his  other  duties,  Col 
onel  Henry  established  workshops 
in  Philadelphia,  Lancaster  and  Al- 
lentown  and  elsewhere  in  the  State, 
for  making  boots,  shoes,  hats  and  accoutre 
ments  for  the  army,  and  with  the  aid  of  Assis 
tant  Commissaries  superintended  their  manu 
facture — industries  second  to  none  in  their  im 
portant  bearing  upon  the  efficiency  and  phys 
ical  condition  of  the  troops;  and  the  Board 
of  War,  relying  upon  his  known  executive 
ability,  gave  him  complete  control  of  this  de 
partment,  appointing  him  Superintendent  of 
Arms  and  Accoutrements,  and  Commissary 
General  of  Hides  for  the  States  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  Delaware  and  Maryland.  His  com 
mission  follows : 


102 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       103 

[SEAL] 

By  the  Board  of  War  and  Ordinance  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  to  William  Henry  Esq. 
of  Lancaster  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  By 
Virtue  of  the  Authority  given  us  by  Congress  in 
their  act  of  the  23.  instant,  herewith  transmitted, 
you  are  hereby  appointed  Commissary  of  Hides  for 
the  States  of  Pennsylvania,  Deleware  and  Maryland. 
You  will  proceed  immediately  in  the  faithful  and 
diligent  discharge  of  that  duty,  as  pointed  out  in 
the  following  instructions  and  such  others  as  the 
Board  may  from  time  to  time  think  proper  to  give 
you.  You  will  correspond  with  the  Board  and  the 
Clothier  General,  informing  him  and  us  of  all 
material  transactions  in  your  Department. 

As  there  will  be  no  Continental  agents  to  in 
terfere  with  you  in  your  district,  and  the  whole 
business  is  committed  to  your  care,  we  expect  your 
utmost  exertions  will  be  used,  in  procuring  immedi 
ate  and  constant  supplies  of  shoes  for  the  troops, 
who  without  great  dilligence  in  the  commissaries  of 
hides,  we  fear  will  greatly  suffer. 

Given  at  the  War  office  the  Fifth  Day  of  August, 
Anno  Domini  1779,  in  the  Fourth  Year  of  our  In- 
dependance. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

RICHARD  PETERS, 

Secretary. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry. 


FROM  WILLIAM  SHANNON  TO  COLONEL  HENRY, 

APPLYING  FOR  THE  POSITION  OF  ASSISTANT 

COMMISSARY. 

PHILADELPHIA,  June  24,  1779. 
Sir:— 

I  wrote  you  a  few  days  ago  by  a  Transient  Person 
and  a  Stranger,  nearly  of  the  same  import  as  this; 
a  doubtfullness  of  its  safe  Conveyance  has  induced 
me  to  trouble  you  a  Second  Time.  I  have  acted  in 
the  Hide  Department  under  Colonel  Ewing,  for  the 
last  ten  months  past,  during  said  time  had  no  great 
degree  of  Comfort,  yet,  the  difficulties  of  any  busi 
ness  is  lessoned  as  a  Knowledge  thereof  is  acquired  ; 
besides  if  I  can  be  employed  to  my  satisfaction  in 
this  department,  shall  not  think  of  going  into  any 
other.  I,  a  few  days  ago,  applied  to  the  Board  of 
War,  to  know  if  they  had  any  business  for  me. 
They  informed  me  that  you  were  appointed  to  di 
rect  a  principal  part  of  the  Hide  Department,  and 
they  requested  I  would  immediately  write  you,  desir 
ing  that  no  appointment  might  be  made  in  the  De 
partment  until  the  Board  and  you  were  satisfied 
with  respect  to  my  abilities  and  other  qualifications 
for  the  Business,  alledging  if  they  were  equal  to 
the  Task,  I  might  serve  with  more  advantage  than 
an  inexperienced  Person. 

You  will  probably  think  from  my  repeated  appli 
cations  (if  they  should  come  to  hand)  that  I  am 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       105 

very  fond  of  office,  but  I  assure  you  that  it  is  only 
a  desire  to  effect  with  certainty  what  with  one 
attempt  might  have  been  very  uncertain. 

Please  indulge  me  with  a  few  lines  on  this  sub 
ject  and  direct  them  to  the  War  Office. 
I  am  Sir, 

Your  unknown  friend, 

and  humble  servent, 
WM.  SHANNON, 

D.  C.  of  Hides. 
William  Henry,  Esq. 

FROM  HON.  TIMOTHY  PICKERING,  SECRETARY  OF 

WAR  TO  COLONEL  HENRY  IN  RELATION  TO 

SHANNON'S  APPLICATION. 

WAR  OFFICE,  June  28,  1779. 
Sir.— 

Soon  after  your  departure  from  this  city,  Mr. 
Shannon,  whose  letter  is  enclosed,  made  known  to 
the  board  his  desire  to  continue  in  the  hide  depart 
ment.  As  we  were  pretty  much  strangers  to  his 
character,  we  wrote  to  two  gentlemen  at  Camp,  who 
are  probably  best  acquainted  with  it,  for  information. 
Their  answer  is  not  yet  arrived.  Upon  his  princi 
ple  maintained  in  his  letter  we  thought  it  would 
be  proper  to  employ  him;  specially  for  the  purpose 
of  finishing  the  business  and  contracts  which  upon 
Mr.  Ewingi's  resignation  will  remain  unsettled. 
Appearances  are  in  his  favor ;  and  if  qualified  for  the 


io6       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

business,  an  old  officer  is  to  be  preferred  to  a  new 
one.  The  purpose  of  this  letter  is  to  notify  you  of 
Mr.  Shannon's  request  and  of  the  steps  we  have 
taken,  that  you  may  reserve  a  place  for  him,  in  case 
the  evidence  of  his  good  character  are  satisfactory 
to  you;  for  we  mean  not  to  control  your  appoint 
ments. 

We  find  that  some  persons  who  contract  to  sup 
ply  shoes  for  the  army  are  guilty  of  great  impositions 
on  the  public.  Besides  the  badness  of  some  of  the 
leather,  the  shoes  are  pinched  in  every  part  and  very 
unfaithfully  put  together,  the  stitches  in  many  for 
sewing  the  upper  leather  to  the  inner  sole  are  three 
quarters  of  an  inch  long  and  upwards.  We  might 
pursue  some  other  mode  to  obtain  shoes;  and  either 
buy  the  leather  and  cut  the  shoes,  before  they  are 
delivered  the  Shoe-makers;  or  get  a  number  of 
pattern  shoes  made,  of  the  necessary  different  sizes, 
and  deliver  to  every  contractor,  and  in  this  case  all 
the  shoes  not  made  according  to  the  pattern  should 
be  rejected.  In  the  first  case  they  may  deceive  by 
changing  the  good  public  leather  for  their  own  of 
an  inferior  quality;  and  they  may  do  their  work 
badly,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  apply  a  remedy 
to  these  evils.  In  the  other  case  if  the  shoes  are 
of  bad  leather,  or  badly  made  the  public  have  only 
to  refuse  them,  the  fear  of  which  would  induce  con 
tractors  to  make  good  ones;  however,  your  long 
experience  in  this  business  will  enable  you  to  decide 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       107 

on  the  most  proper  mode  of  conducting  the  business ; 
and  we  wish  to  be  favored  with  your  sentiments  as 
soon  as  possible,  with  such  information  as  shall  en 
able  us  to  direct  the  measures  most  expedient  to  be 
pursued  for  procuring  shoes  in  all  cases  falling  under 
our  notice.  We  shall  be  glad  to  receive  the  pattern 
Cartridge  box  as  soon  as  you  can  get  it  made. 
We  are,  Sir  with  great  regard, 

your  most  obedient  servant, 

By  order  of  your  board, 

TIM.  PICKERING. 
William  Henry  Esq. 

FROM  TIMOTHY  PICKERING,  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 
TO  WILLIAM  HENRY,  EsQ.36 

WAR  OFFICE,  May  3,  1779. 
Sir:— 

By  Mr.  Henry's  (William  Henry  Jr)  return  in 
March  it  appeared  that  he  had  then  on  hand  up 
wards  of  three  thousand  pairs  of  shoes.  About  that 
number  we  now  want  for  a  particular  purpose ;  and 
as  we  know  not  of  any  considerable  issues  since,  we 
persume  you  have  at  least  that  number  now  by  you. 
They  are  to  be  packed  in  bags  which  we  shall  send 
you  by  the  first  conveyance.  In  doing  this  care 

38  Pickering  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  and  one  of  the 
very  few  statesmen  (among  them  Jos.  Reed,  who  was  an 
alumnus  of  Princeton)  who  figured  in  the  Revolution, 
that  had  had  the  advantages  of  a  collegiate  education. 


io8       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

should  be  taken  to  place  the  heels  inwards,  otherwise 
they  will  soon  wear  holes  in  the  bags.  As  these 
bags  are  finally  to  be  carried  on  pack-horses,  one 
hundred  and  sixty  pairs  in  a  bag  will  be  sufficient, 
tho'  they  would  hold  near  180  pairs.  The  method 
taken  by  the  Clothier  General  is  to  tie  sLx  pairs  in  a 
bundle,  pressing  them  close  together,  by  which 
means  they  take  much  less  room.  Upon  receiving 
the  bags  you  will  be  pleased  immediately  to  pack  the 
shoes  and  have  them  ready  when  called  for. 
We  are  sir,  your  obedient  servants, 

By  order  of  the  Board, 

TIM.  PICKERING. 
William  Henry,  Esq. 

WAR  OFFICE,  May  10,  1779. 
Sir, 

We  on  the  7th  inst.  desired  you  to  send  to  Esther- 
ton  200  bayonet  sheaths,  200  bayonet  belts,  and  200 
cartouch  boxes;  after  fulfilling  this  order,  you  will 
be  pleased  to  pack  up  without  delay,  all  the  remain 
ing  cartouch  boxes,  bayonet  belts  and  bayonet 
sheaths,  also  all  the  muskets  with  bayonets  fit  for 
service,  in  your  possession,  and  send  the  same  to  the 
head  of  Elk,  directed  to  Col.  Henry  Hollingsworth 
D.Q.M.  there  with  a  request  to  him  to  forward 
the  same  as  expeditiously  as  possible  to  Alexan 
dria  in  Virginia,  where  they  are  to  be  delivered  to 
the  officer  commanding  the  Virginia  newly  raised 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       109 

line  at  that  place.  Send  by  this  express,  or  the  first 
conveyance  a  return  of  the  Arms  and  accoutrements 
you  shall  be  able  to  send  to  Alexandria;  or  if  you 
cannot  exactly  ascertain  the  numbers  of  each,  favor 
us  with  an  estimate  as  near  the  truth  as  possible, 
as  thereby  we  shall  regulate  the  issues  for  the  same 
purpose  from  hence 

We  are  Sir, 

Your  most  obed't  Sevants, 
By  order  of  the  Board. 

RICHARD   PETERS 
Secretary  of  the  Board 
William   Henry,   Esq. 

FROM  RICHARD  PETERS,  SECRETARY  OF  THE  BOARD 
OF  WAR,  TO  COLONEL  HENRY. 

WAR  OFFICE 

May  24  1779 
Sir: 

There  being  a  pressing  Demand  for  Arms  in 
Man-land  we  are  obliged  to  order  the  three  hun 
dred  Muskets  without  Bayonets  to  the  Head  of  Elk 
direct  to  the  care  of  Col.  Henry  Hollingsworth  or 
if  you  can,  &  we  should  prefer  your  doing  it,  to 
Baltimore  directly  to  the  care  of  Jas  Calhoun  Esq. 
D.Q.M.  there.  Either  of  these  Gentlemen  to  in 
form  Govr  Johnson  of  their  receiving  the  Arms 
which  are  to  be  subject  to  his  disposition.  Use 
even*  degree  of  Expedition  as  the  arms  are  wanted 


no       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

for  the  Maryland  Militia  for  the  immediate  defense 
of  the  State. 

Your  obt  Servants 

RICHARD  PETERS 
By  Order  of  the  Board 
William  Henry  Esq. 
Lancaster. 

WE  ARE  PRESSED  ON  EVERY  SIDE  FOR  ARMS.      Do 

exert  yourself  to  get  as  many  as  possible  fit  for  ser 
vice.  If  you  have  Cartouch  Boxes  of  the  old  con 
struction  that  will  any  wise  answer  the  present 
Emergency  send  them  with  the  Arms,  to  Govr  John 
son  &  inform  us  how  many  you  send.  He  wants 
Six  Hundred. 

9  o'clock  at  night 

We  have  considered  further  &  you  are  to  send  the 
Arms  to  Elk  to  the  care  of  Col.  Levi  Hollings- 
worth.  Let  him  know  he  is  to  inform  Govr  John 
son  of  the  Receipt  of  them. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

REED-HENRY    CORRESPONDENCE    ON    THE 

ALARMING  FINANCIAL  CONDITION 

OF  THE  COUNTRY. 

N  the  following  correspondence  be 
tween  Col.  Henry  and  the  Hon. 
Joseph  Reed,  President  of  Penn 
sylvania  from  1778  to  1781,  the 
all  absorbing  subject  of  discussion  is  the  de 
plorable  condition  of  the  treasury  and  the 
difficulties  attending  the  collection  of  revenue 
for  war  purposes,  on  which  alone  success 
depended. 

It  devolved  upon  Col.  Henry,  as  Treasurer 
of  Lancaster  County,  to  select  for  this  unwel 
come  task  competent  and  trustworthy  men,  no 
easy  matter,  as  his  letters  explain,  in  a  com 
munity  lacking  anything  approaching  una 
nimity  of  sentiment  favorable  to  the  war. 

It  will  be  seen  that  their  relations  were 
close  and  confidential,  permitting  entire  free 
dom  of  expression. 

For  example  in  his  letter  of  December  19, 
in 


ii2        The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

1780,  after  commending  Colonel  Henry  for 
imprisoning  a  collector  of  revenue  for  embez 
zlement,  Reed  declares  that  if  he  were  "  an 
absolute  prince  for  one  minute,  he  would  em 
ploy  the  time  in  issuing  an  order  for  his  [the 
embezzler's]  execution  ";  and  that  he  placed 
the  utmost  reliance  upon  Colonel  Henry's  dis 
cretion,  one  has  but  to  read  their  interesting 
exchanges  at  what  was  perhaps  the  most  dis 
couraging  period  in  the  history  of  the  struggle. 

In  no  single  instance  is  there  a  word  in 
Reed's  letters  inimical  to  the  conduct  of  the 
war,  or  in  disparagement  of  its  leaders. 
Every  line  breathes  a  spirit  of  loyalty,  and  a 
deep  personal  interest  in  the  result  of  the 
contest.  And  yet  inconceivable  as  it  must 
appear  in  the  light  of  his  correspondence  and 
official  acts,  Reed's  attitude  during  the  war 
became  the  subject  of  a  heated  and  acrimo 
nious  dispute,  many  years  after  his  death,  in 
which  he  was  charged  not  only  with  supine- 
ness,  but  with  downright  disloyalty. 

This  discussion  was  renewed  with  great  bit 
terness  when  the  Civil  War  between  the  states 
was  at  its  height,  and  although  a  kinsman 
came  ably  to  his  defence,  the  evidence  he  pro 
duced  was  not  regarded  at  the  time  as  suffi- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       113 

cient.  Other  documentary  evidence  was  after 
wards  discovered  that  ameliorated  the  allega 
tions,  if  they  did  not  disprove  them. 

PRESIDENT  REED  TO  COLONEL  HENRY,  1779,  IN 
WHICH  HE  MAKES  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 
OF  COL.  HENRY'S  SERVICES  TO  THE 

STATE. 
Sir, 

We  find  ourselves  under  a  Necessity  of  troubling 
you  to  negotiate  a  Piece  of  Business  which  you  will 
find  expressed  at  large  in  the  enclosed  Minute  of 
Council.  We  have  no  Instructions  to  give  as  to 
Price,  but  that  if  there  are  Regulations  in  the 
County,  we  would  have  you  conform  to  them.  If 
not  we  will  give  £20  per  ct.  for  good  merchantable 
Flour.  You  will  please  to  correspond  with  Mr. 
Turnbull,  our  Agent  hereupon,  &  call  on  him  for 
Money  with  which  he  will  supply  you.  Our  in 
tention  is  in  the  first  Place  to  purchase  suitable 
Clothing  for  our  Officers,  of  which  they  are  in  great 
Want,  &  of  which  they  are  very  deserving.  And 
then  apply  the  Residue  to  the  Purchase  of  a  Quanity 
of  Salt  to  be  distributed  among  the  Counties,  with  a 
due  regard  to  the  Persons  &  Counties  who  furnish 
Flour  or  Wheat  for  the  Expence. 

You  will  greatly  oblige  Council  by  your  Exer 
tions  on  this  Occasion,  &  what  will  be  a  more  pow 
erful  Inducement  to  you,  it  will  be  a  great  Addition 


ii4       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

to  the  many  Services  you  have  already  rendered  the 
State.  I  am,  Sir, 

With  much  Esteem, 
Your  obed.  Hbble.  Servt. 

Jos.  REED. 

Council  Chamber,  Aug.  25,  1779. 
To  William  Henry,  Esq.,  Lancaster. 

FROM  BENJAMIN  STODDARD,  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 
TO  COL.  WILLIAM  HENRY. 

WAR  OFFICE,  Nov.  3d,  1779. 

Enclosed  you  have  additional  instructions  from 
the  Board  to  the  Commissaries  of  Hides  and  a  list 
of  the  different  commissaries  and  the  several  districts 
to  which  they  are  appointed. 

Major  Hitfield  Commissary  for  the  State  of  New 
York  and  the  district  where  the  army  lies,  having 
near  ten  thousand  hides  on  hand,  and  not  being 
able  to  furnish  more  than  1500  pairs  of  Shoes 
monthly,  is  ordered  to  send  2000  immediately  to 
Philadelphia  to  be  delivered  to  your  Assistant  You 
will  therefore  be  pleased  to  issue  the  necessary  or 
ders  to  him  in  consequence  of  this  unexpected  supply 
and  should  it  be  in  your  power  to  dispose  of  more, 
probably  you  may  be  furnished  from  the  same 
channel : 

I  am  Sir  your  most  obedient  servant 

BEN.  STODDARD. 
Wm.  Henry,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  War. 

Lancaster,  Pa. 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       115 

COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY  TO  PRESIDENT  REED. 
Sir: —  LANCASTER,   November  27,    1779. 

I  am  informed  one  John  Musser37  of  this  Town 
has  lately  purchased  a  Tract  of  land  of  about  500 
Acres,  commonly  known  by  the  Name  of  the  Cones- 
toga  Mannor,  of  John  Penn,  late  Governor,  of 
Pennsylvania,  for  nine  Pounds  the  Acre  hard  Money. 
At  the  Time  the  Lands  in  this  part  of  the  province 
was  purchased  of  the  Delaware  Indians  this  was 
Reserved  and  a  Deed  was  made  to  them  and  their 
Heirs,  etc.,  the  Indians  who  resided  on  it  were 
killed  by  a  Number  of  People  in  a  former  war  and 
the  Deed  fell  into  the  hands  of  John  Hay,  then 
Sheriff  of  Lancaster  County,  who  delivered  the 
same  to  Mr.  John  Penn. — This  piece  of  Land  was 
afterwards  claimed  by  Sir  William  Johnston  in 
behalf  of  the  Heirs,  in  consequence  of  which  the 
use  of  the  Land  was  given  to  Mr.  Thomas  Barton 
who  is  gone  over  to  the  Enemy.  Mrs.  Susana 
Wright  could  give  I  believe  a  more  satisfactory 
Account  of  this  affair  than  I  can.  It  may  be  proper 
perhaps  to  inquire  into  this  Affair.  I  have  therefore 
thought  it  my  Duty  to  give  all  the  Information  I 
have  been  able  to  collect. 

I  am  with  due  Respect, 

Sir,  your  obed't  hum.  Servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
His  excellency  Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 

37  This  is  the  same  John   Musser  who  was   afterwards 
arrested  for  unlawfully  trafficking  in  British  merchandise. 


n6       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

This  and  the  following  letters  to  and  from 
Colonel  Henry  and  President  Reed  treat  of 
the  prevailing  financial  conditions. 

LANCASTER,  April  25th,  1780. 


The  question  you  are  pleased  to  put  to  me  in  your 
favor  of  the  i8th  inst.  is  not  a  little  embarrassing, 
for  in  the  Course  of  my  Answer  I  shall  not  only 
be  obliged  to  accuse  my  Employers  but  myself  also. 
The  Board  have  been  rather  remiss,  but  they  have 
their  Excuses.  Their  Pay  will  not  support  their 
Horses  while  in  Town,  much  less  themselves  and 
pay  for  their  Services.  I  have  often  observed,  when 
they  come  to  Town,  they  hurry  home  before  the 
Business  is  done,  which  I  thought  ought  to  have  been 
done.  I  have  often  taken  the  Liberty  to  tell  them 
so,  and  received  for  Answer,  their  Pay  would  not 
support  them.  I  do  not  say  their  Reasons  were 
good,  but  it  is  a  Certainty,  they  are  such  as  influence 
the  Minds  of  most  Men.  I  could  wish  the  Assem 
bly  could  be  convinced,  "  that  it  is  private  Interest 
that  executes  Government,"  as  well  with  Regard  to 
the  Board  as  the  Treasurers.  My  Pay  will  scarse 
clear  the  expenses  twice  to  Philadelphia.38  There 

88  From  a  bill  rendered  Col.  Henry  by  Adam  Weaver, 
proprietor  of  the  stage  line  between  Lancaster  and  Phila 
delphia,  we  find  that  in  the  year  1783  Mrs.  Henry  was 
charged  £2  (about  $10)  for  passage  to  and  from  Phila 
delphia. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       117 

are  a  Number  of  Difficulties  to  be  encountered  in 
this  County  which  none  of  the  others  have  to  strive 
with.  There  are  several  of  the  Townships,  which 
have  not  more  than  two  or  three  Persons  who  have 
taken  the  oath  of  Allegiance,  and  therefore  not 
capable  in  Law  to  act  as  Assessors  or  Appraisers. 
This  gives  the  Board  much  Trouble  and  takes  much 
time,  before  People  can  be  found,  who  will  act,  and 
those  are  generally  of  the  lowest  Character.  Some 
Collectors  have  employ'd  others  at  their  own  Risk 
and  will  suffer  by  it.  I  am  indebted  at  this  Time 
to  the  State  between  Sixty  &  Seventy  Thousand 
Pound,  which  I  have  laid  out  in  purchase  of  Leather 
and  Paying  Workmens  Wages  at  the  Shoe-Factory 
at  Philadelphia,  Allentown  and  Lancaster.  Pressed 
by  the  Board  of  War  and  the  Clothier  General,  as  1 
am  to  make  the  utmost  Exertions  to  furnish  the 
Army  with  Shoes  and  Boots  by  the  opening  of  the 
Campaign,  I  hope,  Sir,  you  will  excuse  the  Liberty 
I  have  taken,  as  it  was  done  only  with  an  Intent 
to  further  the  Service.  The  whole  of  the  Factorys 
must  have  stop'd  for  want  of  Pay  and  Materials, 
if  I  had  not  supported  them  with  Money.  I  do  not 
even  draw  Commissions  on  the  Money  furnished  the 
Factorys.  I  this  Day  write  to  the  Clothier  General, 
who  will  draw  200,000  Dollars  from  Congress,  and 
replace  what  I  have  used.  There  is  yet  Fourteen 
Townships  out  of  Thirty  three  to  settle  for  the  first 
Tax  for  1779 — as  soon  as  they  have  settled,  I  will 


n8       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

go  to  Philadelphia  and  settle  with  the  State-Treas 
urer,  which  I  expect  will  be  about  the  I5th  of  May 
next  or  Sooner,  if  I  can  settle  here  with  the  Board 
and  Collectors. 

I  am  Sir 
Your  obed't  &  hum.  Ser. 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
His  Excellency  Joseph  Reed  Esq. 

COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY  TO  PRESIDENT  REED, 

1780. 
Sir:— 

In  a  letter  from  Col.  Atlee,  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  have 
the  following  Paragraph  from  your  Excellency's  of 
the  22  ult: 

"  The  Deficiencies  of  Lancaster  County  in  the 
Taxes  is  become  a  most  serious  Consideration.  The 
Treasurer  informs  us  that  only  Three  Townships 
have  paid  off  their  Fifteen  Million  Taxes,  while  the 
Counties  here  which  have  been  invaded,  distressed 
&  plundered,  have  paid  off  their  Fifteen  Million, 
their  Forty-Five,  and  Three  of  their  Monthly 
Taxes.  Is  not  this  melancholy? — I  am  sorry  Mr. 
Rittenhouse  has  not  understood  my  last  Letter  to 
him  on  that  Subject,  though  perhaps  the  Fault  may 
be  my  own;  be  that  as  it  may,  the  Fact  is,  that  the 
whole  of  the  First  Tax  for  1779,  except  a  Ballance 
in  the  Hands  of  Three  of  the  Collectors  (who  are 
sued)  is  paid  into  my  Hands;  and  I  have  paid  at 
Sundry  Times  ab  £163,000  to  the  Treasurer,  and 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       119 

by  his  Order,  etc:  and  have  Orders  of  Congress  for 
more  than  the  Amount  of  the  First  Tax.  At  the 
time  I  wrote  to  the  State  Treasurer  there  were  but 
three  Townships  who  had  made  their  first  Payments 
on  the  second  Tax  for  1779,  Since  which  Three- 
others  have  each  made  a  small  Payment;  But  there 
lays  an  order  of  the  Treasurer  in  Favor  of  Col. 
Elaine  for  150,000,  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Slough, 
30,000  of  which  I  have  discharged.  I  was  obliged 
to  include  Col.  Atlee  ,£1,500  to  forward  the  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteers,  except  which  I  have  not  lent  or 
laid  out  any  Monies,  either  in  Trade  or  otherways, 
belonging  to  the  public.  I  beg  leave  to  observe,  that 
there  seems  to  be  more  expected  from  Lancaster 
County  than  was  in  our  Power  to  perform.  The 
Act  Levying  the  second  Tax  for  1779,  was  made  in 
November  last,  and  the  Laws  were  not  sent  up  till 
January.  To  my  Knowledge  the  Commissioners 
began  to  lay  the  Tax  by  the  Act  published  in  the 
News-paper,  and  as  they  received  Instruction  from 
Council  which  differed  from  the  Method  they  had 
pursued  were  obliged  to  Order  the  Returns  to  be 
made  over  again.  The  Weather  then  set  in  so 
severe  that  there  was  no  Travelling  till  April.  The 
Taxes  were  laid  as  soon  as  the  Returns  could  be  got 
in;  and  the  Appeals  were  held  in  May  and  Collec 
tors  appointed. 

That  Philadelphia  City  &  County  Taxes  are  so 
far  forward  is  no  Merit  in  their  Board  of  Commis- 


i2O       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

sioners,  as  the  Snow  was  not  a  fourth  Part  of  the 
Depth  there  that  it  was  here ;  besides,  there  is  little 
Difficulty  in  procuring  Assessors,  Appraisers  &  Col 
lectors  in  Philadelphia  City  &  County,  etc.,  to  what 
there  is  here  where  there  are  few  people  in  many  of 
the  Townships  but  such  as  are  disaffected.  I  hope, 
Sir,  you  will  do  me  the  Justice  to  believe  that  I  have 
done,  &  am  doing,  all  that  is  in  my  Power  to  for 
ward  the  Collecting  the  Taxes.  The  large  Sums 
owing  by  the  Quarter  Masters  &  Commissarys  of 
Purchases,  etc.,  will  very  much  lessen  the  Sum  of 
Money  expected  from  the  Taxes  of  this  County. 
I  am,  with  due  Respect,  Sir, 

Your  most  hum.  Serv. 

WILLIAM  HENRY,  C.  T. 
His  Excellency  Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 

COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY  TO  PRESIDENT  REED, 

1780. 
Sir:— 

The  provision  and  Forage  at  this  place  being 
nearly  expended  Majr.  Wirtz  informed  the  Com 
manding  officer  Lt.  Colo.  Temple  that  he  could  not 
engage  to  furnish  the  Troops  with  a  sufficient  Quan- 
ity  of  provisions,  forage  etc.  The  Colonel  applied 
to  me  as  a  Magistrate  for  Press  Warrants  to  enable 
Mr.  Wirtz  to  take  those  articles  where  they  might 
be  found,  but  as  the  Laws  would  not  support  me 
in  granting  such  Warrants,  I  informed  the  Colonel 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       121 

that  I  would  write  to  the  President  and  Council 
concerning  the  Affair.  It  is  certain  they  cannot  be 
supported  here  without  Hawling  the  Hay  ten  or 
Fifteen  mile,  as  the  Hay  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Lancaster  has  been  chiefly  consumed  by  the  Horses 
purchased  for  the  French  Army  and  by  the  Horses 
kept  here,  etc.  and  those  who  have  Hay  Cattle  etc., 
will  not  part  with  it  without  Specie  or  Continental 
Money.  Why  is  not  the  New  State  Money  made 
a  Legal  Tender? — many  would  gladly  take  it,  if 
they  could  pay  their  debts  with  it.  If  the  persons 
who  may  refuse  to  take  the  New  Continental  Money 
are  admitted  to  Bail,  the  Severity  of  the  Law,  pub 
lished  for  Consideration,  will  be  evaded,  Trials  will 
be  put  off  from  Court  to  Court  etc.  Would  it  not 
be  better  that  the  offender  should  be  Committed 
without  Bail  or  Main  prise  till  the  ensuing  Sessions 
or  if  he  choose  it  till  a  Court  for  that  purpose 
should  be  called  by  himself. 

Soap,  Candles  and  Vegetables  are  not  furnished 
the  Troops  here,  and  they  complain  much  for  Want 
of  them. — One  of  our  Collectors  I  have  sent  to  Jail 
for  having  speculated  with  the  Money. 
I  am  Sir, 

Your  very  obedient, 
&  hum.  Servant, 
WILLIAM  HENRY. 
His  Excellency  Joseph  Reed  Esq. 

Philadelphia.     Express. 


122       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

PRESIDENT  REED  TO  COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY. 

Sir.-- 

I  duly  received  your  favor  of  the  3rd  inst.  & 
should  be  sorry  that  anything  in  my  Letter  to  Col. 
Atlee  of  the  1st  inst.  should  be  construed  into  a  sus 
picion  of  the  Delay  of  Taxes  in  your  County  to  arise 
from  any  Neglect  much  more  misconduct  in  you.  I 
assure  you  I  have  ever  entertained  far  different  sen 
timents  &  should  have  done  you  much  Injustice  if 
I  could  have  supposed  you  to  employ  the  public 
Money  in  trade  or  otherwise.  Mr.  Rittenhouse's 
Report  was  made  in  writing  &  I  presume  on  com 
petent  Authority — my  remark  was  general  having 
no  particular  Person  in  View  nor  do  I  know  why 
Col.  Atlee  sent  the  Paragraph  to  you  unless  he  sup 
posed  you  would  use  it  as  a  stimulus  to  the  Com 
missaries,  Collectors  &  others. 

But  I  cannot  agree  with  you  that  more  is  ex 
pected  from  Lancaster  County  than  it  can  perform, 
because  no  more  is  expected  than  the  Law  has  ap 
pointed  &  which  her  own  Representatives  have 
thought  she  could  raise  within  a  given  Time.  I 
beg  to  know,  my  good  friend,  why  Lancaster 
County  cannot  pay  her  taxes  proportionally  with 
other  Counties — has  she  suffered  by  the  enemy — 
has  Famine,  Pestilence  Tempest  or  bad  seasons  de 
prived  her  of  the  Means — you  will  agree  with  me  in 
the  negative.  Are  not  her  Lands  good  &  the 
County  populous?  did  she  not  at  the  last  Review 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       123 

of  Property  appear  so  considerable  as  to  have  almost 
double  the  number  of  Representatives  of  most  of  the 
other  Counties — even  those  who  have  contributed 
more  to  the  public  Necessities  than  she  has  done? 
You  will  also  agree  with  me  in  this.  But  I  fancy 
I  can  throw  some  light  on  the  subject.  There  is  not 
a  week  but  some  People  from  your  County  are  pur 
chasing  Gold  &  Silver  in  the  city,  and  that  is 
hoarded  up  as  too  sacred  to  be  touched  for  Taxes. 
The  Collectors  finding  Opposition  &  Difficulty  ne 
glect  their  Duty  &  the  Commissaries  do  not  care  to 
be  the  only  severe  People  &  so  all  is  slow  tedious  & 
dilatory.  If  vigor  &  seasonable  exertion  could  once 
take  place  all  these  Difficulties  would  vanish. 

The  Commissaries  proceeded  to  lay  the  Tax  you 
observe  &  were  mistaken  till  they  were  set  right, 
but  the  real  Fact  is  they  undertook  to  dispense  with 
the  Law  &  tax  on  a  system  of  their  own,  in  this  way 
Delays  would  be  perpetual  &  inexcusable. 

The  Inclemency  of  the  Winter  we  can  readily 
admit  as  a  Reason  but  it  is  now  several  months  since 
the  snow  disappeared  &  is  there  not  at  this  Moment 
a  great  arrearage;  surely  there  is — the  Want  of 
which  we  feel  most  sensibly.  The  large  sums  ow 
ing  by  Q.  Master's  &  Commissaries  will  doubtless 
be  a  Bar  of  no  inconsiderable  Nature  to  ready  money 
Taxes  but  they  will  go  to  liquidate  the  Demands  of 
Congress  &  so  far  be  useful.  I  fear  there  will  be 
great  abuses  &  shall  be  glad  of  your  Opinion  what 
preventive  may  be  used. 


124       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Far  from  doubting  your  Zeal  &  activity  in  the 
Business,  I  can  only  wish  that  all  concerned  in  the 
Collection  of  Taxes  had  half  of  it  &  I  am  persuaded 
our  affairs  would  be  in  a  more  promising  Condition. 
I  am  with  much  esteem, 
Sir  your  obed.  &  very 

Humble  Serv. 

JOSEPH  REED. 
July  19,   1780. 
William  Henry,  Esq.,  Lancaster. 

THE  HON.  JOSEPH  REED  TO  COLONEL  WILLIAM 
HENRY,  REQUESTING  HIM  AND  OTHERS  TO  AT 
TEND  A  CONFERENCE  AT  LANCASTER  FOR  THE 
PURPOSE  OF  INSTITUTING  REFORMS  IN  THE  EX 
ECUTION  OF  THE  LAWS  AND  FOR  THE  DlSCUS- 

SION  OF  KINDRED  SUBJECTS. 

IN  COUNCIL 

PHILADA.  September  22d   1780 
Sir:— 

The  Assembly  having  in  their  present  Session 
taken  into  mature  deliberation  the  state  of  this  Com 
monwealth,  and  being  apprehensive  that  difficulties 
and  obstructions  in  the  execution  of  some  of  the  most 
necessary  and  important  Laws  have  occurred,  and 
perhaps  real  grievances  exist,  which  with  due  at 
tention  and  care  may  be  removed  have  nominated 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       125 

the  Hon.  Mr.  Bayard,  the  Speaker  of  the  House, 
and  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  the  Treasurer  of  the  State, 
to  accompany  the  President  of  the  State,  into  your 
County,  with  a  view  of  meeting  some  of  the  prin 
cipal  Gentlemen,  and  receive  such  information  as 
may  be  necessary  on  the  above  and  other  interesting 
Subjects. 

In  Consequence  of  which  you  are  requested  to 
give  notice  to  the  undermentioned  publick  officers,  to 
meet  them  at  Lancaster  on  the  eleventh  day  of 
October  next,  where  your  own  attendance  will  be 
expected,  and  you  will  bring  with  you  a  Return  of 
the  payments  of  the  Several  Townships  of  their 
Taxes  so  as  to  exhibit  at  one  view  the  present  State 
of  the  Taxes  in  your  County.  And  if  any  Collec 
tors  have  money  in  hand  or  can  by  a  vigorous  exer 
tion  make  any  payments  to  you  in  the  meantime,  you 
will  have  a  good  opportunity  to  pay  the  same  to  the 
Treasurer  without  the  Trouble  and  expense  of  a 
Journey  to  this  City. 
I  am  Sir, 
Your  obedient  and  very  humble 

Servant 
Jos  REED, 

President. 
To  William  Henry  Esquire 

Treasurer  of  the  County  of  Lancaster 


126       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Persons  to  be  requested  to  attend — 

1.  One  of  the   Commissioners  of  the  Taxes  at 
least ; 

2.  The  Lieutenant  of  the  County; 

3.  The  Excise  Officer; 

4.  The  first  or  second  Justice  of  the  Quarter  Ses 
sions,  as  may  be  most  convenient; 

5.  The  Commissioner  of  Purchases  of  the  Spe- 
cifick  supplies 

6.  The  Prothonotary  of  the  County  with  a  state 
of  the  Fines,  Penalties,  Licenses,  Monies,  and 
the  publick  dues  accruing  in  his  office  since  his 
appointment. 

PRESIDENT  REED  TO  COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY, 

1780. 
Dear  Sir:— 

I  received  your  favor  by  express  &  was  obliged  to 
detain  him  till  I  had  laid  the  matter  before  the  As 
sembly  who  can  alone  effect  the  cure  for  that  ter 
rible  disease  which  pervades  all  our  departments  & 
makes  public  Business  an  invidious  &  insupportable 
Burthen.  They  have  concluded  to  remove  the  Cav 
alry  to  Lebanon  if  it  can  be  done  &  send  the  Invalid 
Horses  over  the  Susquehanna.  As  to  press  War 
rants,  the  Law  appointing  Mr.  Wirtz  gives  him  the 
Power  required,  which  ought  &  must  be  the  Rule  of 
his  Conduct  &  in  which  I  hope  he  will  be  fully  sup 
ported.  I  am  told  the  State  Money  wrill  be  made  a 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       127 

legal  tender  but  I  very  much  doubt  whether  that 
will  extend  its  Credit — coercive  measures  will  I  fear 
never  create  public  Confidence.  Your  Letter  has 
been  read  in  the  House  but  with  what  Effect  I  can 
not  say. 

The  Troops  you  say  complain  much  of  wanting 
Soap  Candles  and  Vegetables,  &  we  complain  very 
much  that  the  People  of  Lancaster  and  other  Coun 
ties  will  not  pay  their  taxes  to  enable  us  to  procure 
them  these  articles.  Are  not  both  Complaints  rea 
sonable.  Our  Treasury  is  at  the  lowest  possible 
ebb;  even  the  first  officers  of  the  State  are  obliged  to 
borrow  Money  for  their  Support  &  this  in  the  rich 
&  plentiful  State  of  Pennsylvania,  for  such  it  is  not 
withstanding  all  its  Complaints.  I  am  glad  you 
have  sent  a  Collector  to  Prison  for  peculation — if  I 
was  an  absolute  Prince  for  one  Minute  I  would  em 
ploy  it  in  giving  orders  for  his  Execution.  Of  what 
avail  are  Laws  or  of  what  Consequence  is  Govern 
ment  unsupported  &  left  to  struggle  with  every  piti 
ful  waste  &  disgrace  which  a  private  Gentleman 
would  shudder  at.  Do  my  good  friend  open  the 
eyes  of  those  about  you.  It  is  Madness  &  Folly  of 
the  most  pernicious  kind  to  go  on  thus.  Your  Mem 
bers  dare  not  vote  for  the  only  Measure  that  will 
relieve  us  because  they  are  afraid  of  doing  their  duty, 
&  disobliging  their  Constituents.  But  I  must  not 
express  what  I  feel  or  believe  In  due  time  they  will 
know  who  understand  &  pursue  their  true  Interests. 


128       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

All  I  can  say  is  that  whatever  hardships  &  Incon 
veniences  the  People  of  your  County  suffer  from  the 
Troops  they  must  thank  themselves.  In  time  I  hope 
they  shall  do  better. 

I  am  Sir,  Your  Obed.  &  very 

Humble  Serv. 

JOSEPH  REED. 
W.  Henry,  Esq.  Lancaster. 

Colonel  Henry's  prominence  is  shown  in  the 
following  letter  from  President  Reed,  intro 
ducing  the  Count  de  Deux  Fonts. 

Sir:— 

This  will  be  delivered  you  by  the  Count  de  Deux 
Fonts,  a  Colonel  of  a  Regiment  in  the  Service  of  the 
King  of  France,  now  at  Rhode  Island.  I  must  re 
quest  your  Attention  &  Civility  to  him,  not  only  on 
Acct.  of  his  own  Merit,  which  is  very  great,  but  as 
he  may  have  some  Influence  on  some  of  his  poor  de 
luded  Countrymen  who  cannot  be  weaned  from  their 
absurd  Attachment  to  Great  Britain.  For  this  Pur 
pose  I  would  wish  if  it  is  practicable  he  could  have 
Opportunities  to  converse  with  the  German  Clergy 
men  &  such  Persons  of  Influence  of  that  Nation  as 
might  tend  to  remove  Prejudice,  convince  them  of 
the  Utility  &  Honor  of  our  Independence,  show 
them  the  Certainty  of  its  being  established,  &  the 
Necessity  of  their  supporting  cheerfully  the  War  for 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.        129 

the  attainment  of  that  glorious  Object — reconcile 
them  as  British  Officers  have  been  doing  with  so 
much  Industry  for  some  time  past. 

Your  Care  herein  will  do  the  State  a  real  Ser 
vice  &  oblige 

Sir   your   Obed.    Hbble.    Serv. 

JOSEPH  REED. 

P.  S.     He  proposes  to  go  to  Lebanon  &  Reading. 
I  shall  be  glad  if  you  would  give  him  Letters  to 
suitable  Persons  there. 
Indorsed, 

1780,  December  2ist,  to  Wm.  Henry,  Hon.  Wm. 
Atlee,  Hon.  Samuel  Atlee,  Esq.,  Philip  Marsteller, 
Col.  Valentine  Eckhart  &  Henry  Haller. 

COLONEL  HENRY  TO  PRESIDENT  REED,  IN  WHICH 
HE  REQUESTS  A  DETAIL  OF  TROOPS  TO  GUARD 
THE  MAGAZINES  FROM  AN  ATTEMPT  TO  BLOW 
THEM  UP  BY  THE  BRITISH  PRISONERS. 

LANCASTER,  March  7,  1781. 
Sir:— 

I  was  present  at  the  Examination  of  one  of  the 
Light  Dragoons  who  overheard  some  of  the  British 
prisoners,  who  had  some  Conversation  concerning 
the  Magazines  at  this  place,  and  they  agree  that  they 
might  be  blown  up  with  Ease.  I  am  of  their  opin 
ion,  and  wish  a  guard  could  be  kept  here,  as  there  are 
10 


130       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

a  number  of  disaffected  People  in  this  Town ;  and  a 
great  Number  of  the  prisoners  will  be  sent  to  the 
Barracks,  as  they  have  a  putrid  Fever  amongst  them 
in  the  Jail ;  the  Barracks  are  near  the  Magazine. 
Could  not  Colo.  Hubley  be  ordered  to  keep  a  Com 
pany  of  Militia  on  Duty  for  that  purpose?     The 
Amunition  is  by  no  means  safe,  and  I  understand  the 
Quantity  is  considerable. 
I  am,  Sir, 
Your  most  obedient  &  hum.  Servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 

His  Excellency  Joseph  Reed,  Esq., 

President  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council, 
Philadelphia. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  REED-HENRY  CORRESPONDENCE  CON 
TINUED;  THE  REVOLT  OF  THE  PENN 
SYLVANIA  TROOPS. 


HE  year  1781  opened  with  the  ad 
vantages   of    the    war    rather    in 
favor   of   the    British,    with    the 
gradual    impoverishment    of    the 
country  as  a  formidable  ally. 

In  addition  to  this  disquieting  outlook,  the 
disaffection  of  a  part  of  what  was  known  as 
the  Pennsylvania  Line,  encamped  with  the 
army  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  precipitated  a 
dangerous  situation.  They  declared  they 
would  serve  no  longer  unless  their  grievances 
were  redressed.  Their  pay  was  in  arrears, 
the  provisions  furnished  poor  and  insufficient, 
and  their  inadequate  clothing  gave  no  protec 
tion  against  the  severe  weather.  In  an  at 
tempt  to  suppress  the  disorder,  one  officer 
was  killed  and  several  officers  and  privates 
wounded,  followed  by  the  withdrawal  of  thir- 


132       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

teen  hundred  Pennsylvanians,  who  marched 
to  Princeton.  This  tragic  affair  occurred 
January  i,  1781. 

The  news  of  the  outbreak  was  received  with 
keen  satisfaction  at  the  British  headquarters, 
where  it  was  thought  to  foreshadow  the  dis 
memberment  of  the  American  forces.  Every 
preparation  was  made  to  welcome  the  insur 
gents  into  the  British  ranks,  to  whom  mes 
sengers  had  been  sent  by  General  Clinton  of 
fering  immunity,  the  protection  of  the  British 
army  and  the  payment  of  the  wages  due  them 
by  Congress.  But  the  temper  of  the  men  was 
misunderstood;  their  patriotism  had  not 
abated;  the  British  overtures  were  spurned, 
and  the  messengers  delivered  to  the  Ameri 
can  authorities. 

As  soon  as  possible,  Joseph  Reed,  President 
of  Pennsylvania,  hurried  to  the  scene,  and 
after  appealing  to  the  men  and  promising 
redress,  those  whose  enlistments  had  not  ex 
pired  returned  to  camp. 

President  Reed  refers  to  this  "  unhappy  dis 
content  "  in  his  letter  of  January  27,  1781,  to 
Colonel  Henry  and,  in  order  to  guard  against 
a  recurrence,  to  stimulate  enlistments,  which 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       133 

had  practically  ceased  in  consequence,  and  to 
inspire  a  renewal  of  confidence,  he  appoints 
Colonel  Henry  a  special  paymaster  with  in 
structions  to  give  careful  attention  to  the  in 
terest  of  both  the  State  and  its  soldiers. 

Here  again  is  brought  to  our  attention  Col 
onel  Henry's  availability  as  a  trusted  agent 
for  negotiating  important  measures. 

Indeed,  whenever  it  became  necessary  to 
select  a  man  in  whom  absolute  confidence 
could  be  placed,  or  in  any  capacity  demand 
ing  a  nice  discretion,  which  his  calm  and  judi 
cial  temperament  permitted  him  to  exercise, 
Colonel  Henry  was  chosen  by  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council  or  the  Board  of  War.  As 
an  illustration  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  his 
versatile  qualities  as  an  executive,  the  board 
authorized  him  to  negotiate  and  purchase  a 
controlling  interest  in  an  undeveloped  lead 
mine  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  in  1780  he  was  made  chairman  of 
a  committee  composed  of  Vice-President  Wil 
liam  Moore  of  the  State,  Colonel  John  Bull 
and  himself  to  regulate  the  price  of  flour. 


134       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

IN  COUNCIL, 

PHILADELPHIA,  January  27,  1781. 
Sir: 

The  late  unhappy  discontent  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Line,  which  has  terminated  almost  in  a  very  con 
siderable  Reduction,  have  rendered  it  necessary  for 
us  to  adopt  some  plan  of  recruiting,  by  which  like 
difficulties  may  not  occur  in  future.  Many  soldiers 
have  been  attested  by  their  officers  and  others,  with 
so  little  formality,  as  to  open  a  door  to  innumerable 
Complaints,  both  on  that  score,  and  the  payment  of 
the  Bounty.  To  obviate  these  in  future,  we  have 
adopted  the  plan  in  the  inclosed  printed  paper,  and 
depending  on  your  accuracy,  and  regard  to  the  Pub- 
lick  Interests  have  nominated  you  to  attest  the  new 
inlisted  Recruits,  as  well  as  to  pay  them  the  Bounty, 
for  which  purpose  we  enclose  you  an  order  of  the 
State  Treasurer  on  the  County  Treasurer,  for  the 
sum  of  Five  hundred  pounds  State  Money,  to  be 
paid  to  officers  and  soldiers  agreeable  to  our  plan. 
The  Commanding  Officer  of  each  Regiment  is  to 
give  you  a  list  of  the  officers  appointed  by  him  to 
Recruit,  and  you  will  be  carefull  to  take  receipts  for 
the  levy  money,  and  double  Receipts  for  the  Bounty 
as  well  as  double  inlistments  and  attestations,  from 
the  soldiers.  The  Receipts  to  be  filled  up,  agreeable 
to  the  fourth  Article  of  Instructions. 

The  Council  purpose  to  recommend  to  the  As 
sembly,  to  make  a  generous  allowance  for  your 


.  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       135 

service,  and  we  request  your  care,  that  every  Attes 
tation  be  duly  returned  to  the  Board,  that  this 
important  service  may  be  conducted  with  fairness  to 
the  Soldiers,  and  a  due  regard  to  the  Interests  of  the 
State. 

I  am  Sir 
Your  obedient  and  very 

humble  Servant 

Jos.  REED 

President. 

To  William  Henry  Esquire 
Lancaster. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  HON.  JOSEPH 
REED,  HON.  WILLIAM  MOORE,  GENERAL 
ANTHONY  WAYNE  AND  JUDGE  WILLIAM 
ATLEE. 

PRESIDENT  REED  TO  COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY, 
Sir:— 

Your  several  Favors  of  the  3d  &  7  &  I2th  Inst. 
have  been  received  &  would  have  answered  sooner 
but  for  my  Indisposition.  We  are  sorry  to  find 
the  Officers  of  the  Army  decline  accepting  the  two 
Dollars,  as  we  hoped  in  their  distressed  State  for 
Want  of  Pay  &  Necessaries  that  this  Sum  would 
not  have  been  beneath  their  Notice.  If  as  a  Symp 
tom  of  finding  themselves  in  a  more  comfortable 
State  of  Finance  we  should  rejoice  to  hear  it,  but  if 
it  is  too  little  for  the  Officers  we  think  it  too  much 
for  the  Serjeant.  Mr.  W's  Conduct  has  been  the 
Subject  of  much  Consideration  &  we  are  partly  de 
termined  to  remove  him,  but  the  Difficulty  is  to 
appoint  the  Successor — We  really  have  a  Reluc 
tance  to  appoint  Persons  to  Offices  who  have  declined 
them  in  Days  of  Difficulty  &  are  also  disinclined  to 
the  Government;  but  if  suitable  Persons  of  another 

136 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.        137 

Character  cannot  be  had  we  must  appoint  the  others 
— You  may  depend  upon  it  some  Thing  will  be  done 
shortly  on  this  Subject. 

With  respect  to  the  Guard  at  the  Magazines  we 
supposed  the  Property  to  be  of  the  United  States, 
&  have  accordingly  made  strong  Representations  to 
the  Board  of  War,  accompanied  with  an  Extract 
from  your  Letter  &  also  from  Col.  Hubley  on  that 
Subject — As  soon  as  any  Determination  is  had  we 
will  let  you  know. 

As  Col.  Atlee  is  now  going  home  we  hope  he  will 
put  his  Lieutenants  Accounts  in  such  Train  as  that 
you  may  receive  the  Money  which  may  be  due  the 
Public  from  that  Quarter.  We  are  most  exceed 
ingly  distressed  for  Want  even  of  small  Sums,  the 
Treasury  being  deplorably  low  &  not  in  any  likely 
Way  to  be  recruited  very  soon. 

You  may  depend  upon  it  that  no  Use  will  be  made 
of  your  Name  in  any  Proceedings  which  respect 
Mr.  W. 

We  are  very  apprehensive  that  Congress  will 
order  the  Convention  Prisoners  to  the  Number  of 
2500  or  3,000  to  be  stationed  at  Lancaster  &  York. 
We  have  wrote  to  our  Delegates  &  done  every  Thing 
in  our  Power  to  prevent  it,  but  we  fear  with  little 
Effect.  A  Representation  from  the  Inhabitants  of 
Lancaster  to  their  Members  of  Assembly  would 
probably  have  a  good  Effect  if  the  Measure  appears 


138       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

to  them  disadvantageous  to  the  State  in  general  or 
the  Town  in  particular. 

I  am  Sir, 

your  Obed.  Hbble.  Ser. 

Jos.  REED. 

P.   S.     You  will  please  to  pay  the  Recruits  their 
second  Bounty  as  it  becomes  due,  Council  having 
given  Directions  for  that  Purpose  which  we  hoped 
you  had  received. 
March  13,  1781. 

Lancaster's  proximity  to  the  seat  of  war 
made  her  very  susceptible  to  its  ravages. 
The  county  was  the  granary  of  the  State — we 
might  almost  say  of  the  country — and  as  the 
struggle  dragged  its  slow  length  along,  the 
heavy  drain  upon  its  resources  manifested  it 
self  in  discontented  murmurs.  Every  house 
in  the  town,  public  and  private,  was  crowded 
to  the  eaves  with  refugees,  soldiers  and  pris 
oners  of  war,  as  many  as  three  thousand 
British  officers  and  men  being  confined  there 
at  one  time,  the  privates  in  the  barracks,  and 
the  officers  under  parole  in  public  houses,  and 
in  private  families.  This  large  addition  to 
the  normal  population  was  the  cause  of  con 
siderable  distress,  as  indicated  in  Colonel 
Henry's  interesting  letter  of  the  twenty-sixth 


,The  Life  of  William  Henry.       139 

of  April  to  the  Hon.  William  Atlee,  one  of 
the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Penn 
sylvania,  from  which  we  get  a  glimpse  of  the 
conditions  from  which  the  citizens  as  well  as 
the  prisoners  suffered.  Judge  Atlee  was  a 
native  of  Lancaster. 

LANCASTER,  a6th  April,  1781. 
Dear  Sir:— 

I  received  your  favor  of  the  23rd  inst.,  with  a 
paper,  for  which  I  am  much  obliged.  Five  hundred 
and  two  prisoners  of  war  arrived  here  last  week 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  this  day.  They 
are  in  the  Barracks  under  a  subaltern  and  a  guard 
of  twenty  men.  Several  of  them  I  intend  to  send 
to  jail,  for  they  have  been  in  our  service  and  deserted. 
We  will  not  be  able  to  furnish  meat  for  them — not 
even  two-thirds  of  the  allowance — therefore,  would 
it  not  be  well  to  give  more  Bread  and  less  meat? 
This  matter  is  worthy  of  your  attention  before  you 
leave  Philadelphia.  Our  town  is  now  in  distress 
for  want  of  meats  of  all  kinds.  Mrs.  Atlee  and 
the  children  are  well.  Your  Servant  was  taken  ill, 
the  Doctor  says  with  Jail  fever,  but  he  will  be 
removed  to  the  Hospital  in  the  Barracks. 
I  am  with  due  respect  Sir, 
Your  Humble  Servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
Hon.  Wm.  Atlee. 


140       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Colonel  Henry's  letter  to  Samuel  Hodgdon, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General  at  Philadelphia, 
brings  to  our  attention  the  culminating  dan 
gers  arising  from  an  empty  treasury.  In 
this  instance  a  company  of  dragoons  whose 
term  of  service  had  expired  but  had  not  been 
paid,  asked  to  be  allowed  to  retain  their  horses 
as  payment  on  account,  a  measure  Colonel 
Henry  strongly  recommended,  and  when  re 
fused  threatened,  and  actually  did  take  forci 
ble  possession  of  their  mounts  and  accoutre 
ments. 

Colonel  Henry  was  apprehensive  that  the 
British  prisoners,  taking  advantage  of  the 
incidental  confusion,  might  attempt  to  rush 
the  guard,  overpower  the  small  garrison  and 
make  a  break  for  freedom. 

LANCASTER,  the  3Oth  April,  1781. 
Sir: 

In  consequence  of  orders  from  the  War  Office 
Major  Green  the  commanding  officer  here  ordered 
the  Dragoons  to  deliver  up  their  Horses  with  their 
accoutrements.  They  by  their  sergeant's  requested 
that  they  might  keep  them  for  a  few  days  till  Gen 
eral  Armond  returned  from  Philadelphia,  but  as 
Major  Green's  orders  were  peremptory  he  would 
not  agree  to  their  proposal.  The  Dragoons  refused 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       141 

to  obey  orders  and  marched  off  from  their  parade, 
and  on  their  being  threatened  with  the  infantry  said 
they  would  go  to  York,  and  filed  off  that  way. 
However,  by  the  prudent  management  of  the  offi 
cers  they  agreed  to  deliver  up  the  horses  and  ac 
coutrements  immediately.  Major  Green  and  sev 
eral  other  officers  requested  that  the  sale  should  be 
postponed  till  Saturday,  to  which  we  have  agreed. 
The  horses  and  accoutrements  are  still  in  the  hands 
of  the  men.  I  believe  that  if  they  were  allowed 
to  bid  for  their  horses  they  would  go  off  much 
higher  than  they  will  for  cash.  A  meeting  among 
the  troops  here  may  be  attended  with  serious  con 
sequences  and  if  possible  should  be  avoided,  at  least 
till  the  prisoners  could  be  removed.  What  has 
happened  today  must  have  given  them  (the  prison 
ers)  high  pleasure.  I  hope  this  day's  work  will  not 
have  an  evil  effect  on  the  infantry  here.  If  it  should 
the  consequences  are  evident.  If  the  officers  and 
foot  soldiers  were  permitted  to  purchase  it  would 
be  more  aggreeable  to  the  whole. 

Your  most  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY 
Samuel  Hodgdon,  Esq. 

Here  follows  a  characteristic  letter  from 
General  Anthony  Wayne  who  was  then  in 
Lancaster  to  Colonel  Henry,  urging  the  equip 
ment  of  a  company  of  dragoons. 


i42       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

LANCASTER,  i6th  May,  1781. 
Dear  Sir: — 

Your  known  attachment  to  the  American  cause, 
and  the  readiness  with  which  you  have  on  all  occa 
sions  exerted  your  self  to  promote  the  true  interest 
of  our  Country,  leaves  no  room  to  doubt  but  that 
everything  in  your  power  will  be  done  for  the  im 
mediate  equipment  of  the  dragoons  belonging  to  this 
State.  I  have,  therefore,  called  for  fitting  out  Sixty 
Horse  of  Col.  Moylan's  regiment,  whose  services  to 
the  southward  is  of  the  last  importance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient,  humble  Ser. 
ANTHONY  WAYNE. 

Brigadier  General. 
William  Henry,  Esq. 

COLONEL  HENRY'S  REPLY  TO  GENERAL  WAYNE'S 
LETTER  OF  THE  SAME  DATE. 

LANCASTER,  May  i6th,  1781. 
Sir: 

I  am  honoured  with  yours  of  this  day.  It  would 
give  me  real  pleasure  to  have  it  in  my  power  to 
equip  the  sixty-eight  Dragoons  with  the  Articles 
mentioned  in  Major  Fontleroy's  Return,  but  my 
situation  with  respect  to  business  done  for  the  pub 
lic  is  not  the  most  agreeable.  I  have  advanced  a 
large  sum  of  money  belonging  to  Pennsylvania,  for 
the  United  States  and  do  not  know  when  I  can  be 
repaid: — it  is  true  I  have  some  leather  in  hand  be- 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       143 

longing  to  the  United  States  perhaps  sufficient  to  fur 
nish  leather  accoutrements  for  Sixty  Dragoons  and 
that  is  all.  If  his  Excellency  the  President  in  Coun 
cil  could  give  orders  for  equipping  the  Dragoons  be 
fore  mentioned  I  think  it  might  be  done  in  two  or 
three  weeks  and  the  accounts  may  be  kept  without 
throwing  the  State  into  any  confusion  in  their  settle 
ment  with  Congress.  The  value  of  leather  made 
use  of  may  be  passed  to  the  Credit  of  the  United 
States  and  the  workmanship  be  charged. 
I  am  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient 
and  Humble  servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY, 
To.  B.  General  Wayne. 

HON.  JOSEPH  REED  TO  COLONEL  HENRY,  RELA 
TIVE  TO  GENERAL  WAYNE'S  REQUISITION 
FOR  THE  EQUIPMENT  OF  SIXTY 
DRAGOONS. 

General  Green's  repulse  at  Camden,  S.  C., 
is  also  noted  as  well  as  General  Marion's 
movements  in  the  same  state. 

IN  COUNCIL 

PHILADELPHIA,  May  2ist,  1781. 
Sir:— 

General  Wayne  has  transmitted  to  us  and  the 
Board  of  War  a  copy  of  your  letter  to  him  of  six- 


144       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

teenth  inst.,  wherein  you  observe  that  if  Council 
will  give  orders  for  equipping  the  Sixty  dragoons 
you  will  provide  them  in  two  weeks.  You  must  be 
sensible  that  this  mode  of  turning  over  the  money 
from  State  to  Congress  is  not  perfectly  agreeable 
to  us,  and  we  wish  to  avoid  it  as  much  as  possible, 
but  in  the  present  case  we  are  so  anxious  to  do 
everything  in  our  power,  that  we  consent  to  it  upon 
the  following  terms,  which  your  known  punctuality 
in  business  assures  us  you  will  comply  with,  viz. 
That  you  furnish  the  Board  of  War  immediately 
with  a  return  of  the  money  expended,  and  if  there 
are  any  former  monies  under  the  same  predicament 
to  include  them,  and  at  the  same  time  forward  an 
order  on  the  Board  in  favor  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse 
which  being  negotiated  with  the  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States  it  may  enable  us  to  take  credit  in  his 
books  for  the  sum  and  you  at  the  same  have  credit 
with  Mr.  Rittenhouse. 

General  Greene  has  received  a  small  Check  at 
Camden  in  consequence  of  a  sally  made  by  Lord 
Rawdon,  but  it  is  not  of  much  consequence,  as  he 
immediately  reinvested  the  place — his  loss  is  one 
hundred  and  three  killed,  wounded  and  missing — 
the  Enemy  lost  Sixty  Prisoners,  other  losses  not 
known.  General  Marion  surprised  a  Post  of  one 
Hundred  Men  (Seventy  three  British  troops),  a 
few  days  before.  General  Greene  seems  assured  of 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       145 

final  success  at  Camden,  which  we  hope  a  few  days 
will  realize. 

I  am  Sir 
Your  obedient  and  very 

humble  Servant, 
Jos.  REED. 

President 

William  Henry  Esq 
at  Lancaster. 


ii 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FROM  COLONEL  WILLIAM  HENRY  TO  THE 
HONORABLE  JOSEPH  REED,  PRESIDENT 
OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  SUGGESTING  A  PLAN 
TO  AVERT  FINANCIAL  DISASTER. 

HIS  remarkable  letter  is  in  reply  to 
a  request  for  a  plan  to  relieve  the 
monetary  stringency.  The  situ 
ation  was  becoming  desperate. 
The  war  chest  was  empty,  with  no  visible 
means  for  its  replenishment.  The  troops  had 
not  been  paid,  and  while  some  were  murmur 
ing  others  were  in  open  revolt  at  the  long- 
delayed  arrival  of  the  paymaster.  It  was  in 
this  extremity  that  President  Reed  appealed  to 
Colonel  Henry,  whose  recommendations  on  a 
former  occasion,  when  the  conditions  were 
less  acute,  had  received  the  thoughtful  consid 
eration  of  the  Council.  Thus  far  no  one  had 
shown  any  capacity  to  cope  with  the  financial 
problems  precipitated  by  the  war.  It  is  true 
Robert  Morris  had  raised  money  on  his  per 
sonal  credit  but  had  formulated  no  plan  to 
provide  for  a  permanent  revenue,  or  for  plac- 
146 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.        147 

ing  an  European  loan.  Henry's  letter,  which 
antedates  by  a  year  Morris's  subsequent 
recommendations,  suggests  both,  and  exhibits 
a  knowledge  of  the  fundamental  law  govern 
ing  the  issue  of  paper  money,  and  of  finance, 
quite  unusual  at  that  day,  "  the  very  absence 
of  which,"  according  to  a  British  estimate, 
"  that  had  brought  the  Confederation  face 
to  face  with  bankruptcy."  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  Henry  was  far  in  advance  of  his 
day  in  his  grasp  of  the  financial  situation  con 
fronting  not  only  his  own  country  but  Europe. 

This  letter  President  Reed  submitted  to 
the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  and  its  sug 
gestions  subsequently  adopted  by  Robert 
Morris;  in  which  connection  it  is  interesting 
to  note  that  what  Lord  Liverpool  advocated 
in  his  letter  to  the  King  in  1818  is  more  than 
foreshadowed  by  Henry  thirty-seven  years  be 
fore. 

Premising  that  the  basis  of  all  paper  cur 
rency  must  necessarily  be  specie,  Henry  pro 
poses  a  clear  and  feasible  plan  for  its  accumu 
lation  by  the  enactment  of  laws  requiring  the 
payment  of  certain  licenses,  and  duties  on  im 
ports  in  coin,  and  further  recommends  as  a 


148       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

basis  of  security  for  placing  a  loan  with  for 
eign  bankers,  the  revenue  from  an  excise  tax. 
This  latter  he  strongly  urges  as  a  moral  as 
well  as  an  economic  measure,  and  taking  it  as 
a  whole  the  letter  is  original  and  masterly  and 
worthy  a  minister  of  finance  of  our  own  day. 

LANCASTER,  the  26th  day  of  May,  1781. 
Dear  Sir:— 

It  is  paying  me  a  greater  compliment  than  my 
poor  abilities  have  any  claim  to,  to  ask  my  opinion 
on  the  present  intricate  state  of  our  affairs.  I  will, 
however,  give  it  without  further  apology. 

The  principal  reasons  why  our  paper  money  is  in 
so  little  repute  with  the  people  seems  to  be  the  fol 
lowing: —  Government  has  no  specie  to  circulate 
with  the  paper,  nor  can  it  at  any  time  exchange  a 
considerable  part  of  it  for  specie.  The  natural  basis 
of  all  paper  credit  is  specie,  and  the  value  we  put  in 
paper  is  in  proportion  to  the  quanity  of  specie  it 
will  purchase.  Therefore  some  method  should  be 
taken  to  procure  at  least  a  part  of  the  revenue  in 
specie.  This  is  not  impracticable.  Why  cannot 
tavern  licenses,  marriage  licenses,  and  licenses  for 
distilling  grain  be  paid  in  specie?  The  petitioner 
has  one  whole  year  to  provide  the  money,  and  his 
private  interests  will  stimulate  him  to  it.  It  is  true, 
as  the  laws  now  stand,  no  man  is  obliged  to  take  a 


.  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       149 

license  for  the  distilling  of  grain,  but  would  it  not 
be  good  policy  to  enact  such  a  law,  and  thereby 
oblige  the  owners  of  stills  above  a  certain  size  to 
have  them  registered  in  the  county  where  they  live? 
This  would  enable  the  Government  to  form  an  esti 
mate  of  the  amount  of  this  part  of  the  revenue,  which 
I  am  persuaded  it  cannot  do  at  present.  Under  the 
late  Government  the  excise  on  spirituous  liquors 
was  said  to  be  worth  £6,000  per  annum.  If  the 
licenses  aforesaid  were  raised  50  per  ct.  this  would 
bring  in  a  handsome  revenue  without  distressing  the 
subject,  and  would  be  attended  with  good  conse 
quence  to  the  people  at  large  in  preventing  numbers 
of  dram-shops  being  kept,  which  at  present  are  a 
nuisance;  and  it  would  be  ample  security  to  any 
gentleman,  at  home  or  abroad,  for  a  payment  of  a 
sum  of  money  to  answer  the  present  emergencies  of 
the  Government.  Might  not  all  fines  and  for 
feitures  in  courts  of  justice  be  paid  in  specie?  And 
duties  on  foreign  imports  might  be  paid  in  specie,  or 
merchandise  suitable  for  the  support  of  the  army. 
The  Government  has  put  paper  into  the  hands  of 
the  people,  and  ought  to  receive  it  again  in  taxes, 
though  not  at  a  depreciated  value.  To  prevent  this 
the  taxes  ought  to  be  laid  in  specie,  payable  in  wheat, 
at  a  certain  value  in  proportion  to  the  distance  from 
the  market,  or  the  value  in  paper  to  be  ascertained 
by  council,  weekly;  and  to  prevent  fraud  in  collec 
tors,  they  ought  to  give  printed  receipts  to  the  people, 


The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

and  deliver  in  to  the  commissioner  of  the  tax  the 
amount  of  all  moneys  by  them  received,  and  the 
time  when,  which  would  enable  the  commissioner 
often  to  district  the  collectors.  The  same  method 
would  be  of  use  in  collecting  militia  fines,  and  pre 
vent  numerous  abuses  which  have  happened.  Col 
lectors  of  taxes  and  militia  money  ought  to  be  pun 
ishable  with  fine  or  imprisonment,  or  both,  for  ex 
torting  more  from  the  people  than  the  law  requires, 
which  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  is  practiced, 
especially  among  the  Germans. 

When  I  wrote  in  favor  of  the  tender  law,  as  i.t  is 
called,  I  meant  such  a  one  as  would  in  some  degree 
have  been  adequate  to  the  purpose,  which  the  present 
one  is  not.  It  is  too  tedious  in  its  operation  to  be 
of  any  use.  At  present  the  best  calculated  would  not 
answer  any  good  purpose,  therefore  it  ought  to  be 
repealed.  If  the  tender  act  is  repealed  Government 
may  then  receive  the  money  outstanding  for  unpat- 
ented  lands  at  specie  value,  which  it  ought,  and  it 
will  not  be  necessary  to  hold  these  moneys,  as  a  fund 
for  the  £500,000  for  that  will  depreciate  to  very 
little  before  it  can  be  collected  in  taxes.  But  I  have, 
perhaps,  said  more  than  enough. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  friend  and  humble 
servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 

To  his  Excellency  Joseph  Reed,  President  of  Penn 
sylvania. 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       151 

Quoting  again  from  the  Journal  of  October 
26,  1781,  it  is  recorded  that  great  excitement 
prevailed  when  the  joyful  news  reached  Lan 
caster  of  the  capture  of  the  British  Army  at 
Yorktown,  "  Church  bells  rang  all  day,  salvos 
of  artillery  were  fired  and  a  constant  dis 
charge  of  small  arms  continued  until  late  at 
night.  All  houses  were  illuminated." 

COLONEL  HENRY  TO  PRESIDENT  MOORE,  OF  THE 
SUPREME  EXECUTIVE  COUNCIL  OF  PENN 
SYLVANIA. 

LANCASTER,  January  7,  1782. 
Sir:— 

Colonel  Antil  has  return'd  Seventy-Seven  Men 
of  his  Regiment,  (exclusive  of  Six  killed  before 
York,  in  Virginia,)  belonging  to  the  Pennsylvania 
Line,  who  have  not  received  the  Gratuity  allowed 
by  a  Resolution  of  Assembly  of  the  8th  March, 
1781.  Gen.  Hazen  has  certified  to  me  that  the 
said  Return  is  true,  etc.  The  people  insisted  on 
having  the  Nine  pounds  State  Money  paid  in  Specie, 
as  the  State  Money  was  a  legal  Tender  when  the 
Gratuity  was  given,  and  at  present  was  not.  I  re 
fused  payment  at  that  Rate,  and  left  the  Matter 
to  be  determined  by  Council,  aledging  that  the 
Money  was  better  now  than  at  the  Time  the  Line 


152       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

received  the  Gratuity,  etc.  They  were  extremely 
clamorous  and  pressing  for  the  Money,  aledging 
that  the  New  England  Men  of  their  Reg.  had  re 
ceived  a  Gratuity  of  24  Specie  Dollars  each ;  several 
of  them  agreed  at  last  to  receive  the  Exchange  (that 
is  one  for  Three  here)  in  Lieu  of  the  Nine  Pounds 
State  Money,  which  I  agreed  to  and  have  paid  them 
at  that  Rate ;  but  still  the  Matter  is  to  be  determined 
by  Council,  whether  they  are  to  have  the  State 
Money  paid  in  Specie  or  not.  I  have  given  them 
very  little  Encouragement,  telling  them  that  if  theirs 
was  to  be  made  good,  the  remainder  of  the  Line 
would  expect  the  same  would  be  done  for  them,  etc. 
You  will  be  pleased  to  determine  this  affair  as 
soon  and  explicit  as  possible.  I  have  paid  the 
Widow  of  one  of  the  Men  killed  before  York,  in 
Virginia,  as  her  Husband  was  entitled  to  it  in  his 
life  Time,  Col.  Antil  having  certified  that  she  was 
the  Wife  of  the  deceased.  There  are  a  Number  of 
State  Certificates  for  the  Depreciation  of  the  Soldiers 
Pay  in  the  Hands  of  the  Men  here,  would  it  not  be 
the  Interest  of  the  Government  to  order  them  to  be 
purchased?  They  are  sold  for  Two  Shillings  and 
Six  pence  in  the  pound,  to  Storekeepers,  etc.  I  have 
paid  off  Mr.  Rittenhouses'  Orders,  and  should  be 
glad  he  would  draw  any  Money  he  may  want  in 
these  Parts,  as  there  are  but  few  good  Opportunities 
of  Sending  Dollars  (which  is  the  Principal  part  of 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       153 

the  Money  which  comes  in  for  the  Taxes)  to  Phil 
adelphia.     The  Gold  I  can  send  conveniently. 
I  am,  Sir,  Your  very  obedient, 

&  humble  Servant, 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 

His  Excellency,  William  Moore,  Esquire,  Presi 
dent  of  Council,  Philadelphia. 

FROM    COL.    WILLIAM    HENRY    TO    PRESIDENT 
MOORE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  IN  WHICH  HE 
DESIRES  A  SETTLEMENT  OF  His  ACCOUNTS. 

LANCASTER  May  29th  1782 
Sir. 

I  have  advanced  £2,448.  towards  Recruiting  the 
Pennsylvania  Line,  forty-eight  pounds  more  than  I 
have  orders  for.  The  Recruiting  Service  goes  on 
but  slowly.  I  should  for  my  part  be  glad  to  have 
my  Accounts  settled,  and  perhaps  it  would  be  pru 
dent  for  Col.  Thompson  to  have  his  settled  with 
the  officers,  as  there  is  little  more  to  be  done  at 
present.  I  returned  yesterday  from  Carlisle,  where 
I  was  summoned  to  give  evidence  in  behalf  of  the 
State  in  General  Roberdeau's  action  for  Damages 
sustained  in  carrying  on  the  Lead  Works  in  Juniata. 
The  Jury  found  for  the  State  generally. 
I  am,  Sir, 
Your  Obedt.  hum.  Servt. 

WILLIAM  HENRY 
His  Excellency 

William  Moore  Esq. 


154       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

Sanctioned  by  Washington  as  an  act  of 
courtesy,  the  British  in  1782  established  a 
warehouse  in  Lancaster  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  the  prisoners  with  articles,  prin 
cipally  delicacies,  not  otherwise  obtainable. 
This  was  British  merchandise,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  it  was  discovered  that  the  store 
keeper,  through  one  John  Musser,  was  surrep 
titiously  selling  it  to  the  people  of  the  county 
for  the  benefit  and  profit  of  the  prisoners, 
at  less  than  they  could  buy  from  the  local 
shop-keepers,  exacting  coin  in  payment,  thus 
inflicting  two  serious  injuries:  depleting  the 
country  of  its  specie,  and  by  under-selling  the 
dealers  destroying  their  livelihood. 

Colonel  Henry,  who  was  not  slow  in  grasp 
ing  the  situation,  submitted  the  facts  to  the 
Hon.  William  Moore,  President  of  the  Su 
preme  Executive  Council,  in  the  following 
letter : 

LANCASTER,  June  25th,  1782. 
Dear  Sir:— 

You  remember  Lord  North  said  in  Parliment  that 
the  mode  of  carrying  on  the  war  in  America  must  be 
altered,  but  I  am  afraid  we  are  not  acquainted  with 
the  method  they  intend  to  persue.  They  harrass  our 
trade  at  sea  and  thereby  prevent  our  getting  specie. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       155 

They  are  taking  every  possible  method  of  drawing 
it  out  of  the  country. 

A  large  quanity  of  British  goods  said  to  be  for 
the  use  of  the  prisoners  of  war  have  been  brought 
to  this  place,  Philadelphia,  and  York,  by  permission. 

These  are  procured  at  the  store  by  the  prisoners 
and  then  hawked  about  the  town  and  country  and 
sold  to  the  inhabitants.  This  money  of  course  cen 
tres  in  their  store.  There  is  still  if  possible  a  greater 
evil.  There  are  some  gentlemen  in  Philadelphia 
who  have  aggreed  to  furnish  the  British  paymaster 
with  money  to  pay  the  prisoners  which  I  am  in 
formed  takes  £3000 :  per  month.  The  last  payment 
has  been  made  in  bank  notes,  which  of  course  must 
be  changed  to  specie.  This  money  also  centres  in 
the  hands  of  the  British  storekeeper,  for  he  has  every 
thing  in  greater  perfection  and  cheaper  than  the 
local  merchants  have  and  is  sure  of  the  custom  of  the 
prisoners. 

But  how  are  these  evils  to  be  remedied?  Very 
easily.  We  have  nothing  to  do  but  prevent  them 
from  keeping  a  store  in  our  country,  and  then  if  we 
do  go  on  furnishing  them  with  specie  for  their  paper 
they  will  be  obliged  to  pay  it  out  again  among  us. 

I  am  informed  the  gentlemen  who  furnish  the 
pay-master  with  money  have  2d  on  the  dollar  and 
this  on  £36,000  per  annum  is  a  handsome  profit, 
though  poor  America  does  loose  the  principal. 


156       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

I  do  wish  something  could  be  done  in  this  matter. 
If  there  is  not,  the  consequence  is  obvious, 
I  remain  dear  Sir 

Your  Humble  Servant 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
To  His  excellency, 
WILLIAM  MOORE, 

President  of  Pennsylvania. 

Acting  upon  the  information  contained  in 
Colonel  Henry's  communication  to  President 
Moore,  William  Bradford,  Jr.,  Attorney  Gen 
eral  of  the  State,  authorized  the  arrest  of 
Musser  and  the  seizure  of  the  merchandise. 

PHILADA  July  8  1782 
Dear  Sir: 

Inclosed  you  will  receive  an  attachment  against 
certain  Goods  in  the  possession  of  John  Musser  in 
Lancaster,  supposed  to  be  British.  Information  has 
been  lodged  with  Council  that  this  man  carries  on 
a  clandestine  &  dishonorable  trade  with  the  British 
Store  &  that  at  this  time  there  is  a  large  quantity  of 
Goods  packed  up  in  flour  Casks  in  his  house  or 
possession.  I  have  to  request  that  you  will  immedi 
ately  upon  the  receipt  of  the  enclosed  send  for  the 
Sheriff  or  one  of  the  most  active  of  his  officers,  and 
give  him  directions  for  executing  the  Attachment 
with  all  possible  Expedition  &  Secresy.  I  am  clearly 
of  opinion  that  he  has  a  right  to  break  open  outer 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       157 

or  inner  doors,  if  necessary  for  the  Execution  of  the 
writ;  and  that  if  any  opposition  be  made  he  ought 
to  raise  the  posse  comitatus  &  force  obedience  from 
those  who  attempt  to  oppose  him. 

Every  endeavor  ought  to  be  used  to  stop  this  ruin 
ous  trade,  and  Council  have  desired  me  to  ask  your 
assistance  in  this  business  as  a  person  on  whom  they 
can  fully  rely. 

I  am  Sir 

Your  most  obedient 
&  very  humble  Serv. 

WM  BRADFORD  JUN. 
William  Henry  Esq. 

P.  S.  If  the  Sheriff  should  be  fortunate  enough 
to  seize  the  goods  before  they  are  removed,  he  must 
store  them  in  some  safe  and  secure  place  (as  he 
will  be  answerable  for  them),  make  an  inventory, 
&  return  the  inventory  &  his  answer  to  the  writ  on 
the  24th  Day  of  next  September. 

From  Colonel  Henry's  letter  of  July  29, 
1782,  to  the  Honorable  George  Bryan,  we  are 
informed  that  the  instructions  of  Attorney- 
General  Bradford  representing  the  Supreme 
Council  of  Safety  had  been  complied  with. 

LANCASTER,  July  29,  1782. 
Dear  Sir:— 

I  happened  to  be  abroad  when  your  favor  of  the 
1 5th  inst.  came  to  hand.  By  orders  from  Council 


The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

I  have  taken  into  my  possession  all  Goods,  Wares 
and  Merchandize  belonging  to  Mr.  Taylor,  the 
British  Storekeeper  here,  except  made  up  Uniforms ; 
also  his  books  and  papers. "  This  has  given  much 
disquiet  to  the  Speculators  here. 

Evidence  and  much  circumstantial  to  corroborate 
it  can  be  produced.  I  do  not  Care  to  take  Deposi 
tions,  unless  they  were  Official.  This  affair  has 
made  much  Noise  and  I  believe  will  make  much 
more.  Would  it  not  be  well  for  Council  to  order 
the  Deposition  of  the  Evidence  to  be  taken  and  sent 
down,  or  is  it  best  to  wait  and  let  the  affair  take  its 
Course?  I  am  of  the  opinion  Mr.  Taylor  will  ap 
pear  and  plead  Gen'l  Washington's  permission  at  the 
Supreme  Court,  if  permitted,  which  is  given  in 
such  general  Terms,  that  it  will  cover  the  supplying 
of  the  Prisoners  with  any  kind  or  rather  with  every 
Kind  of  Goods.  Mr.  Taylor  confessed  the  Goods 
came  from  New  York.  The  Entry  made  in  one 
of  his  Books,  is  the  only  Proof  which  can  be  made 
of  his  having  sold  Goods  directly  to  the  people  of 
this  place  and  this  will  not  amount  to  positive  proof, 
for  the  Entries  are  not  dated  at  Lancaster ;  it  is  true 
the  day  of  the  Month  is  mentioned,  but  the  year  I 
believe  is  not.  Will  it  not  be  necessary  first  to  inves 
tigate  the  affair  prior  to  the  Tryal  of  Taylor,  before 
the  Supreme  Court — as  this  is  the  only  Charge  in  his 
Book  against  any  of  the  Inhabitants  for  Goods. 

We  have  disagreeable  Accounts  from  the  West- 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.        159 

ward ;  Hannah's  Town  is  burnt  &  several  of  the 
Inhabitants  killed,  and  Four  or  Five  taken  prisoners 
or  rather  missing. 

I  am 

Dear  Sir 
Your  most  obed'  hum.  Serv' 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
To  the  Honorable  George  Bryan  Esquire. 

In  making  the  seizure  a  quantity  of  wine 
was  confiscated,  the  personal  property,  it  was 
claimed,  of  the  British  officers,  prisoners  of 
war  on  parole,  who  appealed  to  Colonel 
Henry,  as  well  as  to  the  President  of  the 
State  for  its  release,  which  was  afterwards 
granted. 

LANCASTER,  2d  July,  1782. 
Sir:— 

As  I  understand  that  you,  by  an  Order  from  the 
Supreme  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  have  seized  upon 
all  the  Goods,  etc.,  that  remained  in  Mr.  Taylor's 
store,  I  beg  leave  to  inform  you  that  the  Wine  is 
not  his  property  but  actually  purchased  for  the  Offi 
cers  &  sick  Soldiers.  The  reason  why  it  was  left 
in  Mr.  Taylor's  Cellar  is  owing  to  the  Officers  not 
having  a  proper  convenience  at  their  Quarters,  and 
they  took  it  out  as  it  was  wanted  for  use.  I  there 
fore  hope  you  will  order  it  to  be  given  up. 

Whatever  has  been  the  Cause  for  taking  this  step, 


160       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

it  certainly  never  can  be  attributed  to  the  Officers, 
and  I  must  think  it  hard  indeed,  if  they  are  to  lose 
any  of  their  private  property,  particularly  under  the 
sanction  of  General  Washington's  Passport,  men 
tioning  Table  stores  in  which  wine  is  most  certainly 
included. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  obed'  humble  servant, 
ALEX'  ARBUTHNOT, 

Cap.  8oth  Reg. 

Will'm   Henry,    Esqr.,   Lancaster. 
Indorsed, 

Read  in  Council,  July  5th,   1782. 

General  Moses  Hazen  writes  to  William 
Henry,  in  which  he  expresses  the  fear  that  if 
some  provision  is  not  made  to  pay  the  troops 
a  civil  war  may  be  the  consequence.  He 
presents  his  compliments  to  Mrs.  Henry,  to 
whom  he  was  indebted  for  courtesies  when 
stationed  in  Lancaster. 

POMPTON 
23d  Feby.   1783. 
Dear  Sir: — 

Before  this  will  reach  you  I  judge  you  will  be  in 
possession  of  the  money  I  left  you  a  power  to  receive, 
in  which  case  I  beg  to  remit  the  Ballance,  over  what 
may  be  due  to  you,  to  Col.  Clement  Biddle  at  Phil 
adelphia,  or  his  order. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       161 

I  do  most  sincerely  congratulate  you  and  my 
friends  at  Lancaster  on  the  present  flattering  pros 
pects  of  peace.  The  conduct  of  the  State  of  Rhode 
Island  by  their  disregarding  the  call  of  Congress  in 
not  passing  the  impost  act  is  reprobated  here  by  all 
orders  &  degrees  of  men,  and  that  of  Virginia  Re 
pealing  the  same  act  once  passed  is  no  less  unaccount 
able.  What  may  be  the  consequence  of  an  Honbl 
Peace  without  funds  established  for  the  payment  of 
debts  due  to  the  Army  &  other  public  creditors,  is 
hard  to  say — there  are  some  politicians  who  openly 
suggest  that  the  Army  will  not  quietly  lay  down 
their  arms  untill  they  see  a  disposition  in  the  people 
to  do  Justice  to  them  and  other  public  creditors. 

A  little  time  must  now  determine  whether  we 
have  another  campaign  or  not. 

Compliments  to  Mrs.  Henry,  and  beg  you  will 
believe  me  to  be  Dear  Sir 

Yours  most  sincerely 

MOSES  HAZEN 
William  Henry  Esq. 

That  General  Hazen's  fears  were  well 
founded  is  shown  in  the  following  disturbing 
letter  from  Colonel  Henry  to  President  Dick 
inson,  in  which  he  announces  the  departure  of 
a  mutinous  body  of  armed  troops  for  Phila 
delphia,  bent  upon  getting  their  long  overdue 
12 


162       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

pay,  either  by  fair  means  or  foul.  Fortu 
nately  before  they  reached  the  city  they  were 
intercepted  by  a  committee  of  citizens  who 
persuaded  them  to  disband,  after  assurances 
of  redress. 

LANCASTER,   June    i7th,    1783. 
Sir:— 

Eighty  armed  soldiers  set  off  this  morning  for 
Philadelphia  to  Co-operate  with  those  now  in  the 
City  in  such  measures  as  may  appear  to  them  the 
most  likely  to  procure  their  pay  (or  perhaps  to  possess 
themselves  of  money  at  any  rate)  I  have  thought 
it  my  duty  to  give  the  most  timely  information  pos 
sible  that  the  City  may  not  be  surprised.  I  am  in 
formed  that  part  of  Gen'l  Armond's  Corps  will  be 
here  to-morrow  on  their  way  to  Philadelphia,  and 
am  of  opinion  from  what  has  transpired  from  some 
of  the  men  who  are  still  here,  that  they  will  follow 
the  others  to  the  City  and  share  the  same  fate.  They 
have  thrown  out  several  threats  that  they  will  rob 
the  Bank,  the  Treasury,  etc. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 
Your  obedient  Humble  Servant, 

WILLIAM    HENRY. 
His  Excellency 
John  Dickinson 

President  of  Penna. 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       163 

Unperturbed  by  impending  financial  disas 
ter,  it  is  refreshing  to  observe  State  Treasurer 
Rittenhouse's  interest  in  a  comparison  of  the 
temperatures  of  Philadelphia  and  Lancaster. 

FROM  DAVID  RITTENHOUSE  TO  COLONEL  HENRY. 

Dear  Sir:— 

I  enclose  a  receipt  for  £810  on  account  of  cash 
advanced  by  you  to  the  recruiting  officers.  All  the 
other  receipts  I  had  before  delivered  to  the  Post.  I 
have  not  yet  received  the  £100  to  be  repaid  by  Mr. 
Slough.  Perhaps  you  meant  to  have  it  deducted 
from  your  last  payment  as  I  gave  you  credit  for  it 
some  time  ago. 

I  wish  our  thermometers  could  be  compared  to 
gether.  If  they  agree  it  would  appear  that  the  air 
is  warmer  at  Lancaster  than  here.  At  3  o'clock  on 
Saturday  last  the  mercury  stood  at  almost  94,  at  the 
same  hour  Sunday  at  93,  and  On  Monday  at  91  in 
my  observatory  with  all  the  windows  open.  The 
same  difference  has  been  observed  before. 
I  am  Dear  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  Servent, 

DAVID  RITTENHOUSE. 
Wm.  Henry,  Esq. 

Rittenhouse  and  Henry  had  much  in  com 
mon  to  make  their  intercourse  agreeable;  in 


164       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

temperament,  as  well  as  in  their  scientific  pur 
suits,  they  were  congenial  spirits,  and  that  the 
former  regarded  Henry  with  no  common  sen 
timent  we  have  but  to  read  the  concluding 
lines  from  his  letter  to  Henry  of  June  10, 
1784.  The  body  of  the  letter  which  is 
omitted  refers  to  routine  matters  connected 
with  the  State  Treasury. 

Shall  we  never  see  you  in  Philadelphia  again? 
I  have  many  things  to  say  to  you,  but  hate  writing 
too  much  to  converse  with  you  by  letter. 
I  am  Dear  Sir, 

Yours   affectionately, 
DAVID  RITTENHOUSE. 

When  the  war  was  in  progress  Colonel 
Henry's  visits  to  Philadelphia  were  frequent, 
where  they  never  failed  to  meet,  but  as  a  dele 
gate  to  the  Congress  of  1784-85  his  engage 
ments  took  him  to  Trenton,  and  finally  to 
New  York,  where  he  was  stricken  in  Decem 
ber  of  1785.  Hearing  of  his  illness  Kitten- 
house  wrote  to  Jno.  Joseph  Henry,  expressing 
the  hope  that  his  father  would  recover.  Re 
ferring  to  his  father's  intimacy  with  Kitten- 
house,  Judge  Henry,  in  a  contribution  to 


,  The  Life  of  William  Henry.       165 

Rees'  Encyclopedia  states:  "  During  a  course 
of  many  years  my  father  was  in  the  habit  of 
communicating  all  his  discoveries  in  the  vari 
ous  branches  of  mechanical  science  to  Dr. 
Rittenhouse." 

From  the  night  they  took  their  seats  to 
gether  as  members  of  the  American  Philo 
sophical  Society  in  1767  until  Henry's  death 
they  enjoyed  an  uninterrupted  friendship. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Is  ELECTED  TO  THE  CONGRESS  OF  1784,  '85 

AND  '86  AND  DIES  IN  OFFICE SUM- 

MARY  OF  HIS  CAREER. 

OLONEL  HENRY  received  many 
honors  and  deserved  them;  the 
last  to  be  conferred  was  his  elec 
tion  by  the  Assembly  of  Pennsyl 
vania  to  the  Congresses  of  1784,  '85  and  '86, 
which  convened  in  Trenton  and  New  York. 
It  gave  him  pleasure  to  find  among  his  co 
adjutors  his  old  friend  and  compatriot  Hon. 
Joseph  Reed.  An  extract  from  the  minutes 
of  the  General  Assembly  showing  the  result 
of  the  election  of  delegates,  is  given  below. 

STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY. 

Tuesday,  November  i6th,  1784,  A.M. 

Agreeable  to  the  order  of  the  day  the  House  pro 
ceeded  to  the  election  of  Delegates  to  represent  this 
State  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  for  the 
ensuing  year,  and  the  ballots  being  taken  it  appeared 
that  the  Honorable  Joseph  Reed,  Cadwallader 
1 66 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.        167 

Morris,  William  Montgomery,  Joseph  Gardner  and 
William  Henry  of  Lancaster,  Esquires  were  duly 
elected. 

Extract  from  the  Minutes, 

J.  WALLUS, 
Assistant  Clerk  of  the  General  Assembly. 


We  have  found  that  he  served  on  at  least 
two  committees,  Coinage  and  Indian  Affairs, 
for  both  of  which  he  was  singularly  well 
equipped;  and  that  he  took  an  active  and  in 
telligent  interest  in  the  transactions  of  Con 
gress  we  have  the  testimony  of  his  letters. 
From  among  them  we  select  one  to  the  Hon. 
George  Bryan,  and  two  written  in  conjunc 
tion  with  Mr.  Gardner,  who  was  also  a  dele 
gate  from  Pennsylvania,  to  the  Hon.  John 
Dickinson,  President  of  the  State;  one  of 
which  is  a  reply  to  a  memorial  of  the  mer 
chants  and  traders  of  Philadelphia  petitioning 
Congress  to  prevent  further  depredations  by 
the  corsairs  of  the  Barbary  Coast.  Immu 
nity  had  to  be  purchased,  an  imposition  that 
the  young  republic  was  the  first  power  to  suc 
cessfully  resist  and  punish. 


1 68       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

HON.  WILLIAM  HENRY  AND  JOSEPH  GARDNER  TO 
PRESIDENT  DICKINSON,  1785. 

NEW  YORK,   February  7th,    1785. 
Sir:— 

The  Wyoming  dispute  rests  at  present,  and  we 
hope  will  do  so  for  some  time — we  have  seen  Mr. 
Wilson  and  rec'  by  him  some  additional  papers  to 
those  brought  on  by  Mr.  Hervy,  relating  to  that 
unhappy  dispute. 

The  Report  of  a  Committee  upon  your  Exc'ys 
letter,  with  your  enclosures,  relative  to  the  appoint 
ment  of  additional  Comm'rs  for  settling  &  adjust 
ing  the  accts.  of  the  Citizens  of  Penn.  against  the 
United  States,  remains  undetermined  until  a  report 
is  brought  in  to  prevent  frauds  supposed  to  be  prac 
ticed  by  some  persons  having  unsettled  accts.,  and 
stated  to  Congress  by  Mr.  Denning,  Commr.  in 
this  state,  which  we  hope  will  be  made  to  morrow. 

The  first  report,  as  brought  in,  and  which  we 
have  reason  to  believe  will  pass,  comes  up  fully  to 
the  Idea  of  the  Legislature  as  expressed  in  the  act, 
and  we  hope  they  will  see  the  propriety  of  a  further 
suspension  of  the  operation  of  that  Law  rather  than 
suffer  the  state  to  be  reproached  with  an  unfoederal 
measure,  especially  as  the  objects  of  it  can  suffer 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       169 

very  little  by  a  delay  of  a  week  or  10  days,  and 
perhaps  not  half  that  time. 

We  are,  with  due  respect, 

Your  exc'ys  very  humble  serv'ts., 

WILLIAM  HENRY, 
JOSEPH  GARDNER. 

His  exc'y  the  President  of  Penna. 


COUNCIL  TO  DELEGATES  IN  CONGRESS,  1785. 

IN  COUNCIL, 

February  iyth,  1785. 

Gentlemen: — 

We  enclose  a  Copy  of  a  Memorial  lately  presented 
to  us  by  the  Merchants  &  Traders  of  this  City  con 
cerning  Captures  by  Barbary  Corsairs. 

The  matter  is  of  so  much  Moment,  that  we  desire 
you  will  immediately  bring  it  before  Congress,  & 
endeavor  to  have  the  most  proper  Measures  adopted 
for  preventing  the  mischiefs  that  are  apprehended. 
Your  obe'd  &  very  humble  Servant, 

JOHN  DICKINSON, 
Presid't  of  Pennsylvania. 

To  The  Honorable  Delegates  of  Pennsylvania  in 
Congress. 


170       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

MEMORIAL  OF  MERCH'TS  OF  PHILADELPHIA,  1785. 

To  his  Excellency  the  Presid't  and  the  H'ble  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the  Common 
wealth  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Memorial  of  the  Merch'ts  &  Traders  of  the 
City  of  Philadelphia  by  their  Committe: 
Respectfully   Sheweth, 

That  the  Capture  of  an  American  Vessel  by  the 
Corsairs  of  Barbary  gives  this  Committee  Real  & 
Just  apprehensions  of  future  depredation,  on  our 
trade  from  the  same  quarter. 

Upon  an  occasion  so  extremely  Important,  it  is 
the  duty  of  this  Committee  to  entreat  that  Councill 
will  Represent  to  Congress  the  Necessity  of  en 
deavoring  Speedily  to  conciliate  the  states  of  Barbary 
to  us  by  presents,  as  it  is  practiced  by  most  of  the 
Commercial  Nations  in  Europe,  or  by  treatys  to  be 
entered  into  with  them  as  shall  be  deemed  expedient 
by  the  Wisdom  of  that  Body. 

We  trust  the  Necessity  of  the  Case  will  Induce 
Councill  to  take  the  earliest  opportunity  of  Laying 
this  business  before  the  United  States  in  Congress, 
in  such  manner  as  shall  appear  to  them  most  likely  to 
produce  the  Remedy  prayed  for. 

Philadelphia,  17,  February,  1785. 

J.  M.  NESBITT, 
THO'S  FITZSIMONS, 
J.  Ross, 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       171 

MORDECAI  LEWIS, 
JOHN  NIXON, 
TENCH  COXE, 
GEO.  CLYMER, 
SAM'L  HOWELL, 
JOHN  WILCOCKS, 
ISAAC  HAZLEHURST, 
CLEMENT  BIDDLE. 

To  His  Excell'y  the  Presid't  &  the  Supreme  Ex 
ecutive  Council  of  Pennsylvania. 

DELEGATES  IN  CONGRESS  GARDNER  AND  HENRY 
TO  PRESIDENT  DICKINSON,  OF  PENN 
SYLVANIA. 

NEW  YORK,  March  9th,  1785. 
Sir:— 

We  have  been  honored  with  your  Excellency's 
favor  of  February  I7th  date,  enclosing  the  Memor 
ial  of  the  Merchant's  and  Traders  of  the  City  of 
Philada.,  expressing  their  apprehensions  of  further 
depredations  on  their  trade  by  the  Barbary  Corsairs, 
if  speedy  and  effectual  measures  are  not  taken  to 
prevent  them,  which  has  been  laid  before  Congress 
— and  we  are  happy  to  inform  you,  Sir,  &  thro'  you 
the  Merchants  of  Philadelphia,  that  Congress  have 
not  been  inattentive  to  this  very  important  concern, 
to  which  we  believe  they  are  well  disposed  to  give 
every  relief  in  their  power.  Our  ministers  abroad 
have  long  since  been  authorized  to  negotiate  with  the 


172       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

States  of  Barbary  (in  common  with  others)  treaties 
of  amity  &  commerce,  which  we  have  reason  to 
know  have  only  been  rendered  ineffectual  heretofore 
(with  the  Barbary  States)  for  want  of  a  sum  of 
money,  which  custom  has  made  absolutely  necessary 
to  purchase  them. 

Congress  have  lately  appropriated  for  this  purpose 
a  sum  of  money  not  exceeding  eighty  thousand  dol 
lars,  subject  to  the  draughts  of  our  ministers.  A 
Gentleman  well  recommended  for  his  integrity  and 
personal  knowledge  of  the  country,  will  be  charged 
with  fresh  dispatches  to  Europe  in  a  short  time, 
respecting  this  business,  who  may  probably  be  em 
ployed  to  carry  into  effect  the  wishes  of  Congress 
at  the  Court  of  the  Emperor  of  Morrocco. 

Altho'  we  ardently  wish  as  much  as  possible  to 
satisfy  the  anxiety  of  the  merchants  upon  this  sub 
ject,  yet  we  request  that  no  extracts  may  be  taken  or 
published,  as  the  matter  is  yet  sub  judice,  and  any 
premature  publication  may  have  a  tendancy  to  delay, 
if  not  prevent,  the  proposed  negotiations,  and  draw 
the  unwary  merchants  into  a  snare,  by  mistaking  the 
intention  for  the  fact.  There  is  little  reason  to 
doubt  but  that  Great  Britain  will  use  all  her  in 
fluence  to  prevent  any  such  treaties  being  made.  As 
soon  as  Congress  have  taken  their  final  determina 
tions  upon  this  subject,  we  will  have  the  honor  of 
communicating  them  as  far  as  our  injunctions  of 
secrecy  will  admit. 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       173 

Mr.  Marbois,  in  the  name  of  the  King,  his  mas 
ter,  has  made  a  demand  of  Longchamps;  this  has 
been  under  consideration  for  several  days  as  the 
order  of  the  day,  and  has  been  postponed;  when 
this  great  national  question  may  be  discussed  is  un 
certain,  but  there  appears  no  disposition  to  hurry. 
No  moves  have  been  made  by  the  Connecticut 
Gentlemen  upon  the  Wyoming  business,  and  we 
remain  in  the  dark  what  the  wish  of  the  State  is  in 
the  affair.  If  any  determinations  of  the  house  take 
place,  we  will  be  much  obliged  by  your  ExceH'ys 
communication  upon  that  subject.  Gen'l  Knox  is 
appointed  Secretary  at  War.  The  treasury  is  not 
yet  formed — no  official  acctts  from  Jarvais  or  Os- 
good  whether  they  will  serve  or  no.  We  are, 
With  great  respect,  Sir, 

Your  Excell'ys 
most  obt.  &  Very 

h'ble  Serv'ts, 
JOSEPH  GARDNER, 
WILLIAM   HENRY. 

FROM  COLONEL  HENRY  TO  HON.  GEO.  BRYAN. 

NEW  YORK,  the  25th  March  1785. 
Dear  Sir: — 

The  principal  business  now  before  Congress  is 
the  Disposing  of  the  lands  lately  purchased  and  the 
making  of  a  second  purchase.  Much  time  has  been 
spent  by  a  Committee  of  one  from  each  of  twelve 


174       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

states  on  the  first  and  it  is  probable  the  lands  will  be 
sold  by  Districts  of  ten  or  twelve  miles  square  to  the 
highest  bider,  above  such  price  as  Congress  may  fix 
for  the  acre.  A  number  of  districts  will  probably 
put  up  to  the  sale  in  the  different  states  perhaps 
nearly  in  proportion  to  their  demand.  The  Com 
missioners  are  authorised  to  make  the  second  pur 
chase  to  the  Mississippi  and  as  the  Indians  have 
offered  those  lands  for  sale  there  will  probably  be 
little  Difficulty  in  purchasing  them.  Commissioners 
are  appointed  to  hold  a  treaty  with  the  Creeks,  Che- 
rokees  &c. 

The  place  for  holding  the  federal  Court  for  Mas 
sachusetts  and  New  York  is  not  yet  Determined. 

Longchamps'  affair  was  to  have  been  brought 
forward  this  day  but  is  again  gone  off  by  an  adjourn 
ment  to  next  Monday.  Your  French  Pamphlet 
came  very  apropos,  as  it  has  run  through  a  number 
of  able  hands  since,  and  is  now  in  Mr.  Jay's. 

What  is  our  assembly  about?  Have  they  passed 
the  law  for  regulating  Elections?  If  this  is  not 
done  I  (think)  they  will  not  hold  their  seats  another 
year.  I  am  sir,  your  Hum'l  Serv't 

WILLIAM  HENRY. 
The  Honorable  George  Bryan.39 

While  attending  the  Congress  in  New  York 

89  George  Bryan  was  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  1731,  died 
in  Philadelphia,  January  27,  1791.  1765,  delegate  to  the 
Stamp  Act  Congress.  1777,  Vice-President  Supreme  Exec- 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.        175 

in  1785,  Colonel  Henry  became  ill  of  a  lung 
disorder,  compelling  his  return  to  Lancaster, 
where  he  died  December  15,  1786,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-seven,  having  barely  passed  the  merid 
ian  of  life.  Three  days  afterwards  his  re 
mains  were  followed  to  the  tomb  in  the  Mo 
ravian  Cemetery  by  a  concourse  of  citizens 
from  the  town  and  countryside,  together  with 
the  clergy  of  the  Moravian,  Episcopal, 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches.  He  was 
survived  by  his  wife,  a  daughter  and  six 
sons. 

The  recollection  of  his  own  deficient  educa 
tion,  the  result  of  adverse  circumstances,  not 
from  incapacity,  strengthened  his  determina 
tion  that  his  children  should  enjoy  what  he 
had  been  deprived  of.  What  he  lost  in  his 
youth,  however,  his  alert  mind  as  it  matured, 
made  up  in  an  almost  insatiable  appetite  for 
books,  which  he  gratified  to  the  extent  of  his 
purse,  utilizing  as  well  the  library  he  helped 
to  found.  His  literary  studies  ran  to  the  sci 
ences  which  he  absorbed,  reading  everything 

utive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the  death  of 
President  Wharton,  President  of  the  State.  1780,  Assist 
ant  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  opposed  to  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution. 


176       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

within  his  grasp,  with  little  or  no  mental 
effort.  He  was  a  close  student  of  the  intri 
cacies  of  political  economy  and  of  history,  and 
he  confesses  in  his  autobiography,  that  in  his 
early  manhood,  unconsciously  following  a 
tendency  of  the  day  to  treat  flippantly  all 
religious  thought,  he  read  and  was  disposed 
to  accept  the  teachings  of  the  deistical  writers 
of  the  French  school  and  their  American 
plagiarists,  all  of  whom,  however,  he  lived 
to  denounce. 

Hence  we  cannot  wonder  that  he  contem 
plated  the  education  of  his  children  with  ex 
treme  solicitude;  his  sons  upon  attaining  the 
proper  age  entered  Franklin  College  and  his 
daughter  the  Moravian  Institution  at  Beth 
lehem,  Pa. 

He  thus  writes  to  Bishop  Seidel  of  that  in 
stitution  in  relation  to  one  of  his  children  who 
was  ill  there  of  scarlet  fever,  and  also  men 
tions  having  received  a  letter  from  his  son 
John  Joseph  Henry  from  Quebec  written  a 
short  time  before  the  assault  on  that  city. 

LANCASTER  Dec.  23,  1775. 
Dear  Bishop  Seidel: 

I  know  that  you  will  excuse  me  in  giving  you 
the  trouble  to  thank  the  Sisters  who  have  the  care 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       177 

of  my  children,  and  particularly  to  Sister  Esther, 
for  the  attention  she  has  given  to  My  dear  Betsy. 
Her  letters  were  much  appreciated.  My  little  son 
Nathaniel  has  been  suffering  from  the  same  dis 
order,  and  is  not  expected  to  recover.  I  shall  be 
glad  to  hear  at  every  opportunity  what  progress  to 
recovery  My  dear  Betsy  is  making. 

I  enclose  thirty  shillings,  which  please  ask  Sister 
Gerhart  to  lay  out  as  she  thinks  best  for  Betsy. 

I  have  received  a  letter  from  my  son  John 
(Joseph)  at  Quebec,  he  was  then  well.  With 
great  respect,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 

WILLIAM   HENRY. 

Colonel  Henry  was  of  commanding  pres 
ence,  tall,  vigorous  and  muscular  with  promi 
nent  features.  Although  the  expression  of 
his  face  was  stern,  it  belied  the  innate  gen 
tleness  of  his  nature  as  all  the  recorded  acts  of 
his  life,  as  they  have  passed  in  review  before 
us,  exhibit  a  self-sacrificing  and  tender  solici 
tude  for  the  welfare  of  others. 

That  he  was  unable  to  resist  the  first  onset 
of  disease  was  largely  due  to  his  impoverished 
vitality.  The  harassing  anxieties,  inseparable 
from  a  conscientious  performance  of  his  mili 
tary  and  civil  duties,  coupled  with  the  con 
stant  and  fatiguing  journeys  to  Philadelphia 

13 


178       The  Life  of  William  Henry. 

and  New  York  and  the  towns  adjacent  to  Lan 
caster,  all  taken  in  the  public  service,  were 
contributory  factors  in  hastening  his  early  and 
inopportune  death,  entailing  upon  the  repub 
lic  in  its  formative  period  the  loss  of  a  wise 
counsellor,  one  of  its  very  few  able  financiers, 
and  the  world  of  science  a  genius  whose  par 
tially  developed  powers  left  much  to  be  ex 
pected  of  him. 

To  say  that  his  services,  which  were  often 
of  incalculable  value  to  the  Confederation  and 
to  Pennsylvania,  were  tendered  without  con 
sidering  the  compensation  as  of  paramount 
importance,  is  but  to  do  him  justice.  As  dis 
bursing  officer  of  the  government  and  treas 
urer  of  the  county,  vast  sums  for  that  day 
passed  through  his  hands  and  left  no  stain  nor 
the  vaguest  suspicion  of  venality.  As  a  mat 
ter  of  fact,  although  he  died  leaving  what  was 
then  a  handsome  fortune  (which  an  audit  in 
the  Lancaster  County  Orphans'  Court  shows 
to  have  been  £22,455.7.5) »  n^s  estate  was  in  a 
measure  embarrassed  by  reason  of  the  tardi 
ness  of  the  government  in  making  settlement 
for  large  personal  advances  made  during  the 
Revolution,  for  which  his  heirs  were  not  reim 
bursed  until  1 8 1 1 .  It  is  not  too  much  to  say 


The  Life  of  William  Henry.       179 

that  he  pledged  his  fortune  on  the  issue  of  the 
contest,  and  gave  his  life  to  the  State. 

In  summing  up  the  story  of  his  life  it  will 
be  gratifying  to  those  who  have  been  inter 
ested  in  the  recital  of  his  achievements,  and 
noted  his  unfaltering  zeal  in  promoting  the 
struggle  for  liberty,  to  learn  that  he  was  per 
mitted  to  witness  its  successful  outcome. 

It  is  true,  he  was  one  of  many  who  con 
tributed  to  that  end,  but  none  exceeded  him 
in  unselfish  devotion,  or  were  actuated  by  lof 
tier  motives  of  patriotism  and  love  of  country. 
In  the  words  of  a  contemporary  writer,  "  He 
was  one  of  the  notable  figures  of  his  time." 


INDEX 

American     Philosophical     Society    Transactions,     Henry's 

contributions  to,  41-46. 
Arbuthnot,    Capt.   Alex.,   prisoner   of  war,   to  W.   Henry, 

158,  159. 
Atlee,   Hon.  William,   139. 

Barton,  Rev.  Thomas,  87,  88,  89,  90. 

Bevan,  Jane,  22. 

Bevan,  John,  22. 

Bickham,   4. 

Biddle,  Owen,  66. 

Bradford,  William,  Jr.,   Atty.   Gen.,   letter  to  W.  Henry, 

155,  156- 
Bryan,  Hon.  Geo.,  W.  Henry  to,  157,  158,  173,  174. 

Cambray,  Le  Cheve  de,  100. 
Carleton,  Sir  Guy,  64. 
Carothers,  Col.  John,  87,  88. 
Carson,  4. 

Davis,  Mary  A.,  wife  James  Henry,  3. 
Davis,  Sarah,  wife  Robert  Henry,  3. 
DeVinney,  Hugh,  4. 
DeVinney,  Mary  (Jenkins),  4. 

Dickinson,  Hon.  John,  letters  from,  W.  Henry,  162,  170; 
letters  to,   168,   169. 

Febiger,  Col.  C.,  66 

Fitch,  John,  admits  Henry's  priority  as  inventor  of  steam 
boat,    51;    dispute    with    Rumsey,    51;    at    American 
1 80 


Index.  181 

Philosophical    Society,    51;    visits    Henry,    examines 
model  of  steamboat,  53. 

Gates,  Gen.  Horatio,  93. 

Gelelemend,  alias  Killbuck,  Delaware  chief,  4. 

Gordon,  David,  6. 

Hall,  James,  6. 

Hart,  John,  guest  W.  Henry,  80. 

Hazen,  Gen.  Moses,  letter  to  W.  Henry,   160. 

Heckewelder,  Johanna  Maria,  12. 

Heckewelder,  John,   12. 

Henry,  Ann,  treasurer  of  Lancaster  County,  20;  Kitten- 
house  to,  21 ;  ancestry,  22;  character,  23;  death,  24; 
West  paints  portrait,  28;  meets  Priestley,  37;  affi 
davit  regarding  invention  of  steamboat,  52. 

Henry,  Benjamin  West,  artist,  31. 

Henry,  Granville,  29,  41. 

Henry,  James  (uncle),  settles  in  Pennsylvania,  3;  marries, 
3  ;  death,  3,  47^?* 

Henry,  James  (of  Boulton),  sketch  of,  32;  visit  of  and 
to  Col.  John  Trumbull,  31,  32. 

Henry,  John  (father),  settles  in  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  3;  mar 
ries,  4;  his  death,  4;  death  of  wife,  5. 

Henry,  John  Joseph,  23;  enlists  in  army,  60;  joins  Ar 
nold's  expedition  to  Canada,  60;  hardships  of  march, 
61-62 ;  wounded  and  captured  at  Quebec,  63 ;  attacked 
by  scurvy,  63;  befriended  by  British  officers,  64;  ex 
changed,  64;  at  Elizabethport,  N.  J.,  65;  at  Prince 
ton,  66;  at  Philadelphia,  66;  reaches  home,  67;  forced 
to  decline  army  commissions,  67 ;  enters  office  of  Pro- 
thonotary,  68 ;  reads  law  and  admitted  to  practice,  68 ; 
marries  preceptor's  sister,  68;  appointed  judge,  68; 
resigns,  69 ;  author  of  "  Campaign  against  Quebec," 
69;  Justin  H.  Smith's  sketch  of,  70;  Judge  Henry's  on 
Thomas  Paine,  83-85;  death,  69. 


182  Index. 

Henry,    Matthew,    visits    Killbuck,    13;     engages   son    for 
guide,  14;  letter  to  J.  J.  Henry,  14. 

Henry,  Mary  Ann   (grandmother),  death  of,  3. 

Henry,  Robert   (grandfather),  settles  in  Pennsylvania,  3; 
death  of,  3. 

Henry,  Robert  (uncle),  settles  in  Pennsylvania,  3;  marries, 
3 ;  removes  to  Virginia,  3,  47. 

Henry,  Dr.  Stephen  Chambers,  of  Detroit,  at  Hull's  sur 
render,  70. 

Henry,  William,  ancestry  and  early  life,  i ;  Armorer  of 
Braddock's  and  Forbes'  expeditions,  2;  Assistant  Com 
missary  General,  2,  73 ;  Member  of  Assembly,  3 ; 
judge,  3;  treasurer,  3;  fiscal  agent,  2;  member  of 
Congress,  3,  73;  his  mother,  4,  5;  apprenticed,  4; 
meets  Killbuck  in  Congress,  n;  marries  Ann  Wood, 
19;  her  death,  24;  patron  Benj.  West,  26,  27;  who 
paints  portraits,  28 ;  "  Death  of  Socrates,"  28,  29,  30, 
31;  Benj.  West  Henry,  31;  sails  for  England,  34; 
captured  by  privateer,  35;  reaches  London,  visits 
Watts,  sees  steam  engine,  35-36;  returns  home,  36; 
member  American  Philosophical  Society,  38;  founder 
Juliana  Library,  39;  invents  screw  augur,  39;  steam 
sentinel  register,  41-46;  first  to  apply  steam  for 
motive  power,  41 ;  Schoepff's  visit,  49 ;  steamboat 
tested  on  Conestoga,  48 ;  Fitch's  visit  to,  49,  50 ; 
Fitch  admits  Henry's  priority  of  invention,  51 ;  in 
spects  model  of  steamboat,  53 ;  Thurston  on  invention, 
54,  55;  Assistant  Burgess,  56;  canal  commissioner, 
56;  justice  of  the  peace,  71;  President  Judge,  72; 
commissioner  to  regulate  prices,  72;  salary  as  treas 
urer,  72;  shrewd  man  of  affairs,  74;  Rittenhouse, 
Hart  and  Paine  his  guests,  80;  Paine's  habits,  82; 
ordered  to  arrest  Rev.  Thomas  Barton,  87-90;  pays 
expenses  of  illumination,  90;  gun  works,  91;  estab 
lishes  factories  102 ;  appointed  commissary  of  hides, 


Index.  183 

102,  103 ;  commissioner  to  regulate  price  of  flour, 
133;  financier,  146,  147,  148,  149,  150;  friendship  of 
Rittenhouse,  165,  166;  elected  to  Congress,  166;  com 
mittees,  167,  171,  172,  173;  last  illness,  death  and 
burial,  175 ;  interest  in  children's  education,  175,  176, 
177;  personal  appearance,  177;  estate,  178;  letters 
of  Capt.  Alex.  Arbuthnot,  158,  159;  William  Brad 
ford,  Jr.,  155-156;  de  Cambray,  100;  Hon.  John 
Dickinson,  161,  162,  169 ;  Gen.  H.  Gates,  93 ;  Gen. 
Moses  Hazen,  160;  "Light  Horse"  Harry  Lee,  92; 
Major  Chas.  Lukens,  100,  101 ;  Timothy  Matlack,  98, 
99;  Richard  Peters,  92,  96,  108,  109,  no;  Timothy 
Pickering,  97,  98,  105,  106,  107,  108 ;  Joseph  Reed, 
112,  113,  122,  123,  124,  125,  126,  127,  128,  129,  134, 
135,  136,  137,  138,  143,  144,  HS;  Benj.  Stoddard, 
Secretary  of  War,  114;  Gen.  Geo.  Washington,  79, 
95 ;  Thos.  Wharton,  Jr.,  75,  76,  77,  78 ;  letters  to  Hon. 
Wm.  Atlee,  139;  William  Bradford,  5;  Hon.  Geo. 
Bryan,  157-158,  173-174;  John  Dickinson,  168,  169; 
Samuel  Hodgdon,  A.  A.  G.,  140-141 ;  Hon.  Wm. 
Moore,  151-155;  Joseph  Reed,  114,  115,  n6,  117, 
118,  119,  120,  121,  129,  130;  David  Rittenhouse,  168, 
169;  Bishop  N.  Seidel,  176-177;  Gen.  A.  Wayne, 
142,  143. 

Henry,  William,  Jr.,  sketch  of,  9;  Killbuck's  visit,  9; 
meets  Killbuck's  children  in  Ohio,  n;  visit  him  at 
Nazareth,  12;  letter  of  Killbuck  to,  15. 

Henry,  William,  3d,  sketch  of,  rf  f? 

Henry,  Captain  William,  see  Killbuck. 

Henry  MSS.,  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  40. 

Hodgdon,  Samuel,  A.  A.  Gen.,  letters  of  W.  Henry,  140, 
141. 

Killbuck,  4;  Henry  rescues  him,  8;  visits  W.  Henry,  Jr., 
9;  pensioned,  10;  meets  W.  Henry  in  Congress,  n; 


184  Index. 

sends  condolence   on   death  W.   Henry  to  wife,   n; 
Matthew   Henry  visits,   14;   letter  to  W.  Henry,  Jr., 
15;  death,  16;  descendants  in  Kansas,  16. 
Killbuck,  Rev.  John  Henry,  Moravian  missionary  17. 

Lee,  "  Light  Horse  "  Harry,  92. 

Lukens,  Major  Charles,  to  W.  Henry,   100,   101. 

McDougal,  Col.,  64. 

McKenzie,   Capt.,   65 ;   son  of,   65. 

Matlack,  Timothy,  to  W.  Henry,  98,  99. 

Meyer,  George,  6. 

Moore,  Hon.  William,  from  W.  Henry,   153,   154,   155. 

Morgan,  Col.  J.,  67. 

Netawatwes,  grandfather  of  Killbuck,  7. 
Nichols,  Col.  Francis,  66. 

Paine,  Thomas,  51;  guest  W.  Henry,  80;  "Crisis  V.," 
82;  John  Joseph  Henry's  sketch  of,  83-86. 

Pennsylvania  Line  revolt,   131,  132. 

Peters,  Richard,  to  W.  Henry,  92,  96,  108,   109,   no. 

Philadelphia  Merchants  to  W.  Henry,  170,  171,  172,  173. 

Pickering,  Timothy,  to  W.  Henry,  97,  98,  105,  106,  107, 
108. 

Postlethwait,  4. 

Prentice,   Capt.,   64. 

Reed,  Hon.  Joseph,  letters  to  W.  Henry,  112,  113,  122, 

123,  124,  125,  126,  127,  128,  129,  134,  135,  136,  137, 

138,  143,  144,  145;  letters  from  W.  Henry,  114,  115, 

116,  117,  118,  119,  120,  121,  129,  130,  148,  149,  150. 

Rittenhouse,  David,  letters,  21,  39,  80,  162,  163 ;  guest  of 
W.  Henry,  80;  long  friendship,  164,  166. 

Roesser,  Mathew,  W.  Henry  apprenticed  to,  4. 


Index.  185 

Rose,  Joseph,  22. 
Rose,  Ursula,  6. 

Seidel,  Bishop  N.,  176,  177. 

Shannon,   W.,    104,    105. 

Simon,  Joseph,  4. 

Smith,  Aubrey  Henry,  69. 

Stevenson,  George,  88,  89. 

Stoddard,  B.,  Secretary  of  War,  114. 

Sutcliffe,  Alice  Crary,  mentions  W.  Henry,  50. 

Taylor,  Philip,  22. 

Thurston,  Prof.  R.  H.,  2,  40;  sketch  W.  Henry,  46,  54-55. 

Washington,  Gen.  Geo.,  letters  to  W.  Henry,  79,  95. 

Wayne,  Gen.  A.,  letters  to  W.  Henry,  93,  94,  142;  letters 
from,  142,  143. 

West,  Benjamin,  W.  Henry  patron  of,  26,  27;  paints  por 
traits  W.  Henry  and  wife,  28 ;  "  Death  of  Socrates," 
28,  29,  30,  31;  invites  Benj.  West  Henry  to  visit  him 
in  London,  31. 

Wharton,  Thomas,  Jr.,  letters  to  W.  Henry,  75,  76,  77,  78. 

Witherspoon,  Rev.  John,  66. 

Wood,  Abraham,  19. 

Wood,  Ann,  wife  W.  Henry,  19. 

Wood,  George,  22. 

Wood,  John,  22. 


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